Former Calcutta High Court Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, known for his decisive actions in cases like the West Bengal teachers' recruitment scam will contest from the Tamluk seat, historically a stronghold of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Gangopadhyay, a freshman in the political arena, is part of the BJP's announcement of 111 additional candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Sunday.
On the other hand, Trinamool Congress has chosen Debangshu Bhattacharya as its candidate for the Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency, marking his first foray into electoral politics.
At 27 years old, Bhattacharya has emerged as a prominent young figure within the party's ranks in recent years.
Gangopadhyay's decision to join the BJP came shortly after he resigned from the esteemed position earlier this month.
The former judge, recognised for his relentless pursuit of justice, often found himself at odds with the TMC government due to his judgments and orders.
During his tenure at the Calcutta High Court, Gangopadhyay ordered multiple investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the teachers' recruitment scam.
He criticised the slow progress of the probe and played a pivotal role in the arrest of several political figures and government officials implicated in the scandal.
Born in Kolkata in 1962, Gangopadhyay pursued his legal education at Hazra Law College after attending Mitra Institution.
He initially served as a West Bengal Civil Service Grade A officer before transitioning to private practice as a state lawyer at the Calcutta High Court. His judicial career saw him rise to the rank of additional judge in 2018, eventually becoming a permanent judge.
However, his remarks in an interview regarding the 'school jobs for cash scam', particularly implicating TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, stirred controversy and drew criticism from the Supreme Court.
The apex court cautioned sitting judges against giving media interviews.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced 19 additional candidates from West Bengal for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Notably, Dilip Ghosh, the current Member of Parliament representing Medinipur, has been relocated to Bardhaman–Durgapur, while the incumbent S S Ahluwalia has been dropped.
Meanwhile, Raju Bista, the incumbent MP from Darjeeling, will retain his seat and continue representing the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency for the saffron party.
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