Neha Bora, a national leader of All India Students’ Association (AISA), is set to headline a ‘Gen-Z Solidarity’ programme in Kolkata on Tuesday, marking a significant attempt by Left student groups to project unity ahead of future campus elections.
Bora, who recently drew attention for her participation in the ‘Cockroach Protest’ at Jantar Mantar, will be the keynote speaker at the event scheduled to be held at Rammohan Library Hall on Sukia Street. The programme is being organised by AISA’s West Bengal state committee and is expected to bring together a wide spectrum of Left-leaning student leaders and activists.
Among those slated to share the stage are Pranay Karjee, state president of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Biswajit Roy, state secretary of the Democratic Students’ Organisation (DSO), and Manas Ghosh of Jadavpur University. The event will also feature Debasish Halder, a prominent face of the RG Kar movement and a leader of the Junior Doctors’ Front, and Mehboob Mondal, representing the platform of job aspirants.
The initiative comes amid growing coordination between Left political forces, particularly between the CPI(M) and the CPI(ML). The CPI(M) had earlier ceded its seat to Liberation during the Naihati by-election, and in the previous Assembly elections, the latter contested multiple seats with the support of the Left Front. Observers view the upcoming student programme as an extension of this cooperation, aimed at building a united Left front in student politics across colleges and universities in West Bengal.
The inclusion of leaders from the RG Kar movement and job aspirants’ protests also signals an effort to broaden the coalition by integrating issue-based movements into the student platform.
The event follows a recent incident in Ranchi where Bora alleged harassment after miscreants threw ink at her during a speech. In a video message shared on social media on Monday, she confirmed her Kolkata visit, stating that she looked forward to interacting with participants at the Gen-Z solidarity programme.
Ahead of the main event, Bora is also scheduled to address a press conference at the Kolkata Press Club on Tuesday afternoon.
Originally planned at the Moulali Yuva Kendra, the venue had to be shifted to Rammohan Library Hall after organisers failed to secure the necessary permissions. The development has sparked some concern within Left circles regarding the administrative environment surrounding the programme, particularly in the context of recent political changes in the state.
The ‘Gen-Z Solidarity’ meet is thus being closely watched as both a political statement and a potential precursor to broader Left unity in campus and electoral politics.
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