There is much speculation about who will contest from BJP against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Bhabanipur bypolls scheduled for September 30.
Victory in this election is important for the TMC supremo for whom this will secure her Chief Minister seat. As per constitutional law, she has to get elected to the State Assembly within six months of taking oath as Chief Minister.
The most likely candidate to contest against Mamata is Priyanka Tibrewal.
Priyanka Tibrewal joined the BJP in August 2014. Prior to that she worked as a legal counsel for Babul Supriyo. She forayed into politics with his help.
In 2015, she contested in Kolkata's municipal elections, from ward 58, which she lost to the TMC candidate.
Born on July 7, 1981, Priyanka Tibrewal completed her schooling from Welland Goulsmith School, Kolkata. She pursued her graduation from Delhi and gained a law dgree from Hazara Law College, University of Kolkata. She also has an MBA in HR from Thailand assumption University.
In August 2020, she was made the vice president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in West Bengal.
Early this year, she contested in the state assembly election from Entally, but lost to TMC with a margin of 58,257 votes.
Currently she also serves as the national spokesperson for the BJP.
Speaking to News18, Tibrewal said, “The party has consulted me and asked my opinion on whether I would like to contest from Bhabanipur or not. There are many names and I am not yet aware of who will be the candidate. I would like to thank my senior party leaders for supporting me all these years.”
'If my party fields me from Bhabanipur against Mamata Banerjee, I will give my best and I am hopeful that people will support me in this battle of justice vs injustice… I am sure people will vote against the misrule of ruling TMC. This is our fight against the post-poll violence and suffering of the people in Bengal,” she added.
Bhabanipur is Mamata's home-turf, the seat from which she clinched the throne of Bengal from the 34-year-long left rule in 2011.
(With agency inputs)
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