Hooghly Lok Sabha Election 2024: The upcoming electoral contest in West Bengal, particularly in the Hooghly Lok Sabha constituency, promises to be intriguing, marked by the clash of seasoned politicians and newcomers, with a dash of glamour from the entertainment industry. The contest primarily revolves around two prominent personalities who have transitioned from the silver screen to politics: Locket Chatterjee, the incumbent MP representing the BJP, and Rachana Banerjee, a well-known actress now representing the Trinamool Congress. Both bring their own charisma and fan base from their acting careers into the political arena, adding an interesting dimension to the electoral battle. Adding to the mix is Monodip Ghosh from the CPI(M), who, despite being a first-timer in electoral politics like Banerjee, brings a different flavour with his background as a young state committee member and trade union activist.
Who is Rachana Banerjee?
Rachana Banerjee, the actress who primarily works in the Bengali and Odia film industries, started her acting career in the early 1990s and gained popularity with her performances in Bengali and Odia films. She is a popular Bengali actress and host of a popular Bengali TV reality show Didi No. 1.
She has acted in numerous successful films and has garnered praise for her roles in movies like "Sabuj Sathi" (Bengali), and "Paradesi Babu" (Odia). Banerjee has also ventured into television, appearing in various Bengali TV serials. She is known for her versatile acting skills and has established herself as one of the prominent actresses in the regional film industries of West Bengal and Odisha.
Who is Locket Chatterjee?
Locket Chatterjee is an Indian actress and politician. She predominantly worked in the Bengali film industry before entering politics. Chatterjee gained prominence for her roles in Bengali cinema and television. She is associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and incumbent MP from the Hooghly constituency in West Bengal. Chatterjee has been actively involved in political campaigns and has been vocal about various social and political issues in India.
Hooghly Lok Sabha seat results 2014 and 2019
In the 2019 general elections, Locket Chatterjee of the BJP emerged victorious in the constituency, securing 671,448 votes. Dr Ratna De of the Trinamool Congress secured the second position with 598,086 votes, while Pradip Saha of the CPI(M) came in third with 121,588 votes.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the TMC won 22 seats, while the BJP sprung a major surprise, winning 18 seats. The Congress won the remaining two seats. The BJP dramatically increased their seats from only two in 2014 to 18 in 2019.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Ratna De of the TMC emerged victorious in this seat by defeating the CPM candidate Pradip Saha by a margin of 189,084 votes, which accounted for 14.02 per cent of the total votes polled in the constituency. The TMC secured a vote share of 45.54 per cent in 2014 in this seat.
Lok Sabha elections 2024
The upcoming Lok Sabha elections will take place in seven phases in West Bengal, starting from April 19 and the results will be declared on June 4.
West Bengal is the state with the third highest number of states with 42 Lok Sabha seats, only behind Uttar Pradesh with 80 and Maharashtra with 48, and all the seats are typically contested over different issues rather than one common mantra. Notably, out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, 30 seats are contested as unreserved seats, while 10 seats are reserved for SC candidates and two seats are reserved for ST candidates.
Hooghly Lok Sabha constituency
Hooghly, situated in West Bengal, is one of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. The district comprises four subdivisions: Chinsurah Sadar, Srirampur, Chandannagar, and Arambag. Historically, before colonisation, Hooghly was a significant port for trade in India. Today, it stands as one of the most economically developed districts in West Bengal, particularly renowned for its jute cultivation, jute industries, and jute trade.
In the first Lok Sabha election in 1952, NC Chatterjee of the Hindu Mahasabha emerged victorious, defeating the Congress candidate. Following this, in 1957 and 1962, Provot Kar of the CPI secured the seat. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPM, claimed victory in 1967 with BK Modak being elected as the MP. BK Modak retained the seat in 1977. In 1980, Rupchand Pal of the CPM emerged triumphant. After the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984, Indumati Bhattacharya of the Congress won the seat. Subsequently, the CPM regained its foothold, with Rupchand Pal serving as an MP once again in 1989. The CPM maintained its stronghold in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2004. However, in 2009, Dr. Ratna De of the All India Trinamool Congress defeated Rupchand Pal, who had been an MP for six terms.
