Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay joins BJP

Former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay on Thursday (Mar 7) joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming Indian general elections. His decision to leave the courtroom was largely slammed by opposition parties, including the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), whom Gangopadhyay is known for having fierce conflicts with.

‘Overwhelming’

“Today’s joining is nice. The way they have welcomed me is overwhelming...Everybody knows corruption is to be fought,” Gangopadhyay told news agency ANI after he joined the party and was welcomed by West Bengal BJP Chief Sukanta Majumdar.

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WATCH | Indian PM Modi meets with women victims from Sandeshkhali village in West Bengal

Gangopadhyay, who is likely to compete in the upcoming general elections, has had several disputes with the state’s ruling party TMC because of some of his rulings in cases of corruption.

West Bengal’s ruling party after the now-former Calcutta HC judge announced that he would join politics alleged that Gangopadhyay was a “political worker” and his decision laid bare his anti-TMC bias.

When asked about the violence in the West Bengal village of Sandeshkhali, Gangopadhyay told ANI, “It is a very bad incident.”

He added, “The state leaders have gone there. They have been prevented from reaching there. Despite that, they have reached and stood beside the women there and BJP is taking up the cause of oppressed people in Sandeshkhali.”

Also Read |Abhijit Gangopadhyay resigns as Calcutta High Court judge, to join BJP

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (Mar 6) met the women who have alleged sexual assault by suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali.

Sandeshkhali has witnessed unrest for months now after several women accused a local TMC leader who was arrested after being on the run for several weeks, on February 29.

Gangopadhyay was formally inducted into BJP on Thursday, by Majumdar and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, in Kolkata.

“As a State President of BJP I welcome former Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay to our party, to the family of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said the West Bengal BJP chief.

He added, “I believe the way he has worked as a Justice for deprived, exploited victims of Bengal, he will carry forward that work with the leadership of the BJP.”

Why is Gangopadhyay joining politics?

The former Calcutta HC justice’s decision over the past few days has made headlines recently with both BJP and Congress welcoming him to join their party and TMC criticising him and accusing him of bias.

Also Read |India: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Sanjay Raut slams Calcutta high court judge over aspirations to join politics

Gangopadhyay said West Bengal state was reeling under extreme corruption and he was not able to use the courtroom to reach out to common people.

“I felt that I had done enough work there (in judiciary), but some work is set to be done for people who cannot go to the court or do not have the resources to go to the court,” Gangopadhyay said after announcing his decision to join BJP, on Tuesday (Mar 5).

He added, “They are very helpless, and I should help them with the little resources I have for them, and that's why I have decided to join politics.”

(With inputs from agencies)