A journey to West Bengal's notorious constituency of Bhangar revealed a unique phenomenon - a love for MLA Nawsad Siddique that transcends faith. The Indian Secular Front (ISF) leader, who won a seat in the 2021 state assembly elections, has a fanbase that includes Hindus, a rare sight in the state's politics.
The constituency is infamous for political violence and turf wars, but Nawsad Siddique's popularity has made it a litmus test for the ISF's bid to emerge as an alternative force among Muslim voters.
With the Bengal assembly election approaching its final phase, all eyes are on Bhangar and neighboring Canning Purba, where the TMC-BJP binary is being challenged by the ISF.
Nawsad Siddique, a 33-year-old leader from a prominent religious lineage, has been open about his challenges to Mamata Banerjee, the TMC supremo. He has spoken about the need for education reform, farmers' welfare, and an end to corruption.
The ISF, which has fielded candidates in over 33 seats this election, has grown significantly in the last five years, posing a serious threat to the TMC in the districts of South and North 24 Parganas.
As the Phase 2 voting of Bengal election nears, the battle for Bhangar and Canning Purba will be closely watched, with the ISF's Nawsad Siddique taking on TMC's Saokat Molla in a rare political outlier in a state largely dominated by the TMC-BJP binary.
