Around 30 doctors enter Bengal poll fray across parties

Kolkata: An interesting trend has emerged in this Assembly election, with around 30 doctors fielded as candidates by various political parties.

The ruling All India Trinamool Congress and its main rival Bharatiya Janata Party have fielded 10 doctor candidates each. The Left Front has so far fielded six, while Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) has named five. From serving patients in hospitals, these doctors are now stepping into public life through electoral politics.

Notably, the Trinamool Congress has dropped its sitting MLA from Sreerampur, Dr Sudipto Roy. Another doctor-MLA of the party, Dr Nirmal Maji, has been shifted from Uluberia Uttar to Goghat.

The party has fielded new faces, including Dr Rajib Biswas from Haringhata and Dr Atindranath Mondal from Kalyani, both in Nadia district. It has also nominated Dr Sougata Kumar Mondal from Ranaghat Dakshin. Dr Rana Chatterjee, currently the MLA from Bally in Howrah, is contesting from Shibpur in the same district. Several first-time doctor-candidates across parties said their decision to enter the fray stemmed from a “greater” obligation to society. They said a desire to serve people on a larger platform motivated them to join electoral politics.

Dr Atindranath Mondal, who has held key administrative roles in the state health department and served as a senior official at SSKM Hospital, is contesting for the first time. “It is a bigger platform to serve the people of Kalyani. If I am elected, I will be able to work as a soldier of our party supremo Mamata Banerjee,” he said. Among other candidates, Dr Abhijit Bandopadhyay, an orthopaedic surgeon, is contesting from Howrah Dakshin as a Left Front candidate. The BJP has fielded Dr Indranil Khan from Behala East; he had contested several elections earlier but lost.

The SUCI has also fielded multiple doctor-candidates. Dr Ansuman Mitra is contesting from Jorasanko, where he faces Vijay Upadhaya of the Trinamool Congress and Bijay Ojha of the BJP. Dr Mitra, who has been practising for 35 years, said he is confident of putting up a strong fight.