Kolkata: In a politically significant development in Hooghly, Soumya Basu, son of former and expelled CPI(M) leader and six-time Arambagh MP Anil Basu, was seen at a BJP meeting in Chinsurah on Monday, publicly aligning himself with the party and criticising the present state of Left politics in West Bengal.
The meeting, held at Ghori More to mark the filing of nominations by five BJP candidates in the district, was attended by state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya. Soumya was present at the venue and greeted BJP’s Chinsurah candidate Subir Nag, expressing his support.
Raising slogans of “Jai Shri Ram”, Soumya said he had earlier been associated with Left student and youth wings, having served as a district committee member of SFI and a zonal committee member of DYFI. He added that he had consciously distanced himself from Left politics over time.
“As the son of a political leader, there is no compulsion to follow the same ideology. Every individual has the right to independent political choice,” he said, confirming his association with the BJP after meeting Bhattacharya.
Soumya also drew a contrast between past Left stalwarts like Jyoti Basu, Anil Biswas and Subhas Chakraborty and the current Left leadership, alleging that the latter represents an “elite class” disconnected from the masses. Describing the BJP as a “patriotic party,” he said its ideology had drawn him in, asserting confidence that BJP candidates, including Nag, would emerge victorious.