A number of sons are all set to rise on the political firmament of West Bengal in the coming Assembly election. And no political party can assume the high moral ground and accuse the other of encouraging dynastic rule by favouring sons of influential leaders because this trend is visible in parties of all hues. Thus, offsprings of leaders of Congress, Trinamul Congress and even CPI(M) are being fielded in the six phase polls.
The most important name in the group is Abhijit Mukherjee who is the eldest son of Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. Mukherjee Junior formally joined the Congress party on Monday and is likely to be fielded from Nalhati Assembly seat in Birnhum district. “Like every son in a traditional Bengali family, I sought baba’s permission before taking the plunge. He gave me his blessings but told me that the decision was mine,” Abhijit said.
Senior Trinamul Congress leader and Union minister Mukul Roy’s son Subhrangshu Roy is an engineer with an MBA degree but he too finds politics a more rewarding career. Roy Junior’s name is likely to figure in the Trinamul Congress’ list of candidates when it is announced but he already had his baptism in politics when he contested and won Kanchrapara municipality poll last year.
The youngest son of another Trinamul junior minister Sisir Adhikari is also waiting in the wings. After occupying the prestigious state Speaker’s chair for 29 years, senior CPI(M) leader Hashim Abdul Halim is not in the fray. But his doctor son Fuad Halim is contesting from Ballygunge seat. The CPI(M) is not apologetic about it. “Being the son of a politician is not a qualification for a candidate in our party. But this isn’t a disqualification either,” the CPI(M) central committee member Mohammad Salim claimed.