Kolkata North, Ageing Constituency of West Bengal, Where Old Guards Lock Horns

Kolkata: The Kolkata North constituency has aged. Three candidates contesting from one of the two Lok Sabha constituencies that make up the electoral district of Kolkata have an average age bracket of 70 years and this has earned the seat the dubious distinction of being the aged Lok Sabha seat of Bengal.

Pradip Bhattacharya, the Left Front supported Congress candidate from Kolkata North, has already stepped into the age band of 80 years. He has been with the Congress for over 50 years and has also been a Rajya Sabha member and a member of the Legislative Assembly. Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee has yet again extended her supportive hand to her trusted lieutenant in Delhi Sudip Bandopadhyay.

Sudip has been winning from this seat since 2009 after the seat came into existence following a delimitation process and has already crossed 75 years of age, steadily on his way to the octogenarian club. The youngest of the trio is Tapas Roy, who is in his late 60s, and he is contesting on a BJP ticket. He joined the party a month ago after quitting Trinamool Congress.
The question, which is doing the rounds in the constituency is, can one among the three, who eventually wins the seat, take the rigorous task of doing the rounds and grinds of being a member of the Lok Sabha and deal with the aspirations and expectations of the people?

Bisheswar Bhattacharya, a resident of ward number 40 in North Kolkata, says "It would have been better if the candidate was a younger person, but no political party has thought about this. We have to choose from among the three main contestants as there is hardly any choice. Sudip Banerjee is the sitting MP and is seen in the area at gatherings and functions. That way he has an edge, but the other two are equally good. Only, if they were a bit younger."

What about the young voters?

Soumalya Chowdhury is a second-year student of English literature at City College and a resident of North Kolkata's ward number 38. "A young candidate would have always understood the needs and thoughts of students as well as the cross-section. I am not against aged people. In fact, it is wrong to think that they will not be effective enough. The only thing is, young people are more agile. It is the general elections and we need to see, who is doing the politics of food over the politics of caste and creed. There is a trend of politicising religion these days. But, when you are hungry, you simply forget your religion. We need to focus on those who will speak about the common people," said Chowdhury.

First-time voter Tarun Patra said, "It is true that the main contesting candidates of the North Kolkata seat are not in their prime age. But, that is neither the norm nor the end of the road. There are candidates like Dipsita Dhar, Srijan Bhattacharya and others, who are young. We need to choose those who raise their voice for people's cause and not just practice politics of religion.

Sudip Bandopadhyay has been our MP for quite some time now, but we can hardly remember anything remarkable that he has done for the constituency. We can't even recall one good speech of his, that he delivered in Parliament. I think there will be a change this time," says Patra. The voters are divided, but in unison, they agree that North Kolkata has indeed aged, albeit politically.

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