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Ratna Debnath, the mother of the young woman who was raped and killed in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, won Panihati seat from the Bharatiya Janata Party ticket in the West Bengal assembly election, Sher defeated Trinamool Congress's Tirthankar Ghosh by 28,836 votes. 

Ratna Debnath entered the electoral fray with a strong campaign against the Mamata Banerjee government, focusing on rising crimes against women in the state. She positioned the issue at the centre of her outreach to voters.

In recent years, West Bengal has witnessed several incidents that raised serious concerns about governance and institutional accountability. The murder of a young doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital triggered widespread outrage across the state.  

Although protests initially gained momentum, they gradually subsided, with some participants alleging pressure and punitive actions, including transfers. Several of these actions were later challenged in the Calcutta High Court.

TMC Loses In Panihati After 2011

Nirmal Ghosh, TMC's previous contendor, had emerged victorious since 2011 in Panihati, proving to be the stronghold for the party. He won the seat for Trinamool Congress in 2011. He defeated CPI(M)’s Ahibhushan Bhattacharya by 31,432 votes in 2011, and managed to retain the seat in 2016, defeating Sanmoy Bandopadhyay of the Congress party by a reduced 3,030 votes. He defeated Sanmoy Bandopadhyay again in 2021, who contested as a nominee of the BJP, by an increased margin of 25,177 votes.

Was It A Right Move By BJP?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that standing with and nominating the mother of the RG Kar rape-murder victim as a party candidate in the West Bengal Assembly elections has proved the Bharatiya Janata Party’s commitment towards women’s safety in the state. Debnath, who reportedly has not combed her hair since the incident as a form of mourning and protest, had said that she will continue this until justice is served for her daughter.

A Mother who was waiting for the justice of his daughter might finally get a fair chance to give punishment to the actual accused with her victory and it proved to be a right move by BJP. It can be helpful for the mother Debnath to continue her fight against the system or even can make it better.