In the unpredictable world of West Bengal politics, history tends to repeat itself, but not usually with this much at stake. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a veteran Congress warhorse, is going back to the state assembly battlefield 35 years after he first ran for office in Murshidabad.
This isn’t just an election for a man who spent twenty years in the hallowed halls of Parliament. It’s a “starting from scratch” mission to take back a fortress that was thought to be impenetrable.
1. From Narasimha Rao’s time until 2026
One must look at the calendar to see how serious Chowdhury’s return is. P.V. Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister and Jyoti Basu was the clear face of Bengal when Adhir first ran for an Assembly seat in 1991.
After five terms in the Lok Sabha and a big loss in the 2024 General Elections, the “Robin Hood of Baharampur” is leaving the national stage for the local trenches. He will lead the Congress charge in the first phase of the Bengal polls on April 23.
2. The “Vietnam of Murshidabad” Legacy
Chowdhury has fought hard battles before. He remembers his first time in Nabagram decades ago, when the Left Front’s hold was so strong that the area was called the “Vietnam of Murshidabad.” “Even though they rigged the election and had a lot of power against me, I only lost by 1,300 votes,” Chowdhury said. That determination is what made Baharampur his own fortress five years later, and now he is fighting to rebuild it from the ground up.
3. “A Soldier’s Orders”: What is the Assembly for?
People are surprised that Chowdhury went from being a senior parliamentarian to an assembly candidate, but he says it’s a matter of party discipline.
The Reason: After he left the Lok Sabha in 2024, the Congress high command saw him as the only person who could bring the party back to life in Bengal.
“I am a soldier of the Congress” is the quote. I agreed when the leaders asked me to. “I’m back to where it all began, starting from scratch,” he said, standing in a campaign office that was already full of banners and posters.
4. The Challenge: Dealing with Old Helpers
This “Second Act” may be the hardest one for him. Chowdhury isn’t just going up against the ruling TMC or the rising BJP; he’s also going up against a new group of leaders, many of whom used to work for him or were his students.
The Outlook:
If Adhir wins, it will be like the Congress coming back to life in Bengal. If he loses, it could be the end of one of the state’s most famous political careers. Baharampur isn’t just a seat anymore. It’s a vote on whether the “Old Guard” can still do well in the politics of 2026, when everything is done online.
