Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition, on Friday welcomed the
decision of Abhaya’s mother to contest the Assembly polls to raise her voice against atrocities on women in Bengal and said the BJP was looking into her proposal for the electoral fight.

“Others (BJP leaders) are looking into the matter. I think she should contest the Assembly elections and raise her voice against atrocities against women. Even though we believe in God, if someone passes away, no one has the power to bring them back. Naturally, to protect the dignity of other women and girls, I personally welcome the initiative she (Abhaya’s mother) has taken,” Adhikari
told reporters.

After the publication of the BJP’s first list of candidates, there was a buzz in the party that the mother of the junior doctor who had been raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2024 was likely to be fielded from the Panihati Assembly seat in North 24-Parganas.

On Thursday, the mother herself confirmed that she had given her consent to contest from Panihati on a BJP ticket. She accused the CPM of trying to use her daughter’s murder for political gain.

Several people, who had joined the movement for justice after Abhaya’s murder, noted that her parents had also attacked the BJP, alleging that the CBI had failed to deliver justice for their daughter.

A BJP source said that when there was an impression that the CPM had almost taken over the RG Kar movement, it was Adhikari who gradually stepped in and gained the family’s confidence.

A section of BJP leaders believes that Adhikari supported the mother as he felt it would not only help the party in Panihati but also serve as a statewide reminder of the 2024 incident that had galvanised public anger over the law and order in Bengal.

However, another section of BJP leaders argues that the family should not be directly involved in electoral politics but instead be used for independent campaigning
across Bengal.

“People may not sympathise with the family if they contest the election directly on a BJP ticket. Our rivals may even allege that the BJP offered them (Abhaya’s parents) some special package to contest,” said a BJP source. “That is why the BJP is yet to take a final call on selecting Abhaya’s mother as a candidate.

Political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty said: “Trinamool will fight the election on a single issue, which is the SIR. We all know that in Panihati, the BJP may not gain much advantage even if it fields Abhaya’s mother. However, her candidature could have a broader impact on electoral politics by reigniting the RG Kar issue and reminding voters of the brutal
incident.”