In the electoral arena of Bishnupur constituency, nestled within the enigmatic Bankura district of West Bengal, a drama of political vendetta unfolds. The impending clash for supremacy in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections pits the former couple, Sujata Mondal of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) against Saumitra Khan, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) contender.
This narrative takes root in a bygone decade, where a decade-long love saga, entwined with shared political ambitions, metamorphosed into a tragic political power play in 2020. The TMC anointed Mondal as their torchbearer for Bishnupur, marking her as a formidable force, while the BJP, in a strategic move earlier this month, thrust Khan into the electoral fray for the same seat.
The chronicle of a decade-long romantic liaison, which flourished amidst intertwined political dreams, succumbed to the ruthless ambitions of the political landscape in 2020. Mondal, previously untouched by the political realm, found herself ensnared in the TMC’s web during the lead-up to the 2021 assembly elections.
The abrupt derailment of their once blissful marital voyage unfolded dramatically, as Khan, an incumbent BJP Member of Parliament, publicly displayed his anguish, culminating in the dispatch of divorce papers to Sujata Mondal Khan, a mere day after her allegiance shifted to the Trinamool Congress.
Helplessly witnessing the collapse of what was once perceived as a fairytale courtship between two ideologically aligned souls, close acquaintances found themselves grappling with the disintegration of the Mondal-Khan union.
The pivotal question emerges: What led to this unraveling?
Sujata and Saumitra’s paths first crossed in 2010 when he wore the mantle of a Congress member, and she, a dedicated teacher in a government primary school. Over the years, their connection deepened, with Sujata earning the epithet of a stalwart ‘pillar’ standing steadfastly by Saumitra’s side.
Fast forward a decade, and Khan’s divorce affidavit, spanning four pages, portrays Sujata as “hyper-sensitive and quarrelsome” in the tragic narrative. Saumitra accuses her of being a spouse who “assaulted and mentally tortured” him to gain an advantage while she was aligned with the BJP. Initially separated for six months, their marital bonds strained under the weight of Sujata’s burgeoning ‘political ambitions,’ as attested by those close to the estranged couple.
Nearly four years after Sujata’s political metamorphosis into a ‘devoted’ TMC acolyte, earning proximity to Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee, she secures a coveted Lok Sabha ticket from Bishnupur in the Bankura district.
TMC, forsaking the opposition coalition, INDIA bloc, unveils its candidates for all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The roster, disclosed by TMC’s general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, at the Brigade Parade Ground, underscores the party’s strategic maneuvering in the electoral chessboard.