In a move that seeks to tap into the emotional and political resonance of the RG Kar protests, the BJP on Wednesday fielded the victim doctor’s mother, Ratna Debnath , from the Panihati Assembly constituency as it released the third list of 19 candidates for the West Bengal elections.
The candidate, who had emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the investigation into the August 2024 rape and murder of her daughter at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, recently claimed she and her husband have joined the BJP.
Her candidature from Panihati signals the party’s attempt to politically channel the outrage over the case that had triggered months of protests across the state demanding justice and improved safety for women.
Speaking to a television channel after the announcement, she said contesting the election was not a matter of pride but a painful responsibility.
“I have become a candidate. If I win, the people of Panihati will win. I will raise my voice for those who have forgotten how to protest,” she said, adding that she would work to improve the condition of the constituency and serve people.
“If I can serve people, my daughter will also be happy. I want the lotus to bloom across West Bengal and the TMC to be uprooted,” she said.
The BJP list also included senior leader and journalist Swapan Das from Santipur, Shankar Guchhait from Medinipur, Dinesh Sarkar from Rajganj, Chitrajit Roy from Islampur, Dipanjan Chakraborty from Uttarapara, and Madhumita Ghosh from Haripal.