Jalpaiguri: Same booth, same seat- however, the candidates are three women from the same family, none other than the aunts of popular Bengali actress and MP Mimi Chakraborty.
The incident along with booth number 17/155 in the Kharia Gram Panchayat area of Jalpaiguri Sadar Block have become the talk of the town. It has even left the voters of the booth excited.
While there are political differences between the three candidates regarding the Panchayat elections, the family relation and vibes remain unchanged.
According to the Chakraborty family members, such incidents during Panchayat polls are not new in their family. Once, a member of the family and his uncle had contested for the same seat. Again siblings had contested against each other for this seat.
The Chakraborty family has resided in the Puratan Para area of Kharia Gram Panchayat in Jalpaiguri since long. Due to their long-standing association with politics, many family members have been Panchayat members. This time the three candidates are the wives of three brothers from this family. Among them, Parna Nag Chakraborty has been involved in left-wing politics since her college days and currently serves as a member of the District Committee of the Women’s Cell. Poonam Chakraborty, on the other hand, was not actively involved in politics before, but she has attended several Trinamool rally meetings from her father-in-law’s house after marriage. Shanta Chakraborty is contesting as the Congress candidate.
TMC’s Poonam Chakraborty said: “I discussed this polls with Mimi. She couldn’t confirm whether she would campaign for us. We are competing against two other family members who belong to Opposition parties so the situation would become uncomfortable for her as all of us are her aunties.”
CPI(M) candidate Parna Nag Chakraborty stated: “Regardless of who wins the election, at the end of the day, the reward given by the people will come to the family.” Congress candidate Shanta Chakraborty said: “We are competing for votes amongst ourselves. The common people will vote for the candidate they deem fit.”