Dabgram-Fulbari: Mother-son to battle out as arch rivals

Siliguri: In a rare and intriguing political contest, a mother and the boy she had brought up as her son are set to face each other as candidates from rival parties in the Dabgram-Fulbari Constituency, sparking widespread curiosity and debate across the region.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has fielded Ranjan Shil Sharma, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has once again nominated Shikha Chatterjee—who is not only his political mentor but also the woman he regards as his mother.

Ranjan, who currently serves as the councillor of Ward No. 37 of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and holds the post of general secretary of the Darjeeling district (plains) TMC, has a deep personal connection with Shikha. After losing his father at a young age, Ranjan was brought to Shikha by his mother, who requested her to take care of him. Following his mother’s death, Shikha raised him as her own son. To this day, Ranjan addresses her as “mother.”

Beyond family ties, Shikha also played a crucial role in shaping Ranjan’s political journey. It was under her guidance that he first entered politics.

At one point, both were associated with the TMC.

However, due to internal differences, Shikha later switched allegiance to the BJP, while Ranjan chose to remain with the TMC.

In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, Shikha contested from Dabgram-Fulbari as a BJP candidate and defeated two-time TMC MLA Gautam Deb by a margin of over 27,000 votes.

Interestingly, local party leaders claim that Ranjan did not campaign against her during that election.

This time, however, the political equation has changed. With both now officially nominated by their respective parties, the stage is set for a direct contest between the two.

Speaking after receiving his party ticket, Ranjan said: “I will visit my mother, Shikha Chatterjee’s house. I will seek her blessings before starting my campaign.” His statement has added an emotional dimension to an already unusual electoral battle.

Meanwhile, Shikha Chatterjee said: “The relationship between a mother and son will remain the same. But this is a democracy, and everyone has the right to choose their own political party. I wish him luck. May God give him wisdom.”