In a major strategic shift, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has returned to West Bengal’s assembly politics after a hiatus of 30 years. The five-time former MP, who last served as an MLA in 1996, is contesting from his home turf, Baharampur, with the primary goal of reviving the Congress party’s dwindling fortunes in the state.

During his campaign on Tuesday, Adhir struck an emotional chord with voters, reminiscing about his childhood in the city. However, he quickly pivoted to local issues, accusing the administration of turning Baharampur into a “concrete jungle” and burdening citizens with excessive taxes. Reflecting on his 2024 Lok Sabha defeat, Adhir stated that voters now regret the outcome of that “polarized election” and are ready to back him again.

The contest in Baharampur is set to be a triangular thriller with BJP’s Subrata Moitra and TMC’s Naru Gopal Mukherjee in the ring. As per the ECI, West Bengal will vote in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with the final counting scheduled for May 4. All eyes are now on whether the veteran leader can successfully transition back to state politics.