Berhampore, in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, is steeped in history, with it being under the reign of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent ruler of Bengal, before the British defeated him in the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
At present, Berhampore, the district headquarters, is better known as the home of Adhir Chowdhury, Congress strongman and Minister of State for Railways since October 2012.
A walk down Berhampore’s streets reveals far more than relics dating back to 600 AD or those from the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. It exudes the confidence of Chowdhury and his party, and is probably the only place in Bengal where the Congress enjoys such a presence. Here, “Adhir-da” can even afford to stay away from his own campaign rallies, thus lending support as a party strongman and state Congress president to campaigns of other candidates across Bengal.
When Adhir first contested from Berhampore in 1999, nobody expected him to win as it has been an RSP stronghold. The Congress had not won the seat since 1951. Adhir, however, won it consecutively.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks