Former Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay joins BJP ahead of Lok Sabha election

In a career spanning close to four decades, Gangopadhyay had also been in a confrontation with a senior judge for overruling his order.

Former Calcutta High Court judge Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay joined the BJP on March 7 in the presence of state party chief Sukanta Majumdar, LoP Suvendu Adhikari and others.

There has been talk he could be fielded from the Tamluk constituency, which has been won by the Trinamool in each of the past three elections.

"Today, I have joined a new field. I am happy to join the BJP and will work as a party soldier. Our objective is to oust the corrupt TMC regime from the state," Gangopadhyay  said after his official joining.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar handed him the party flag.

"West Bengal's politics needs a person like Abhijit Gangopadhyay," BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who is also the leader of the opposition in the assembly, said.

Gangopadhyay ealier said he had been in touch with the BJP for several weeks and asserted that he will remain with the saffron party whether or not he gets a poll ticket.

VIDEO | Former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay joins BJP. pic.twitter.com/PyaM5WPIxe

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 7, 2024

"I will be joining the BJP, tentatively on March 7. I have selected the BJP as my party of choice since it is the only national party which is fighting against the corrupt and goon-infested TMC in Bengal," he said earlier.

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On March 5 morning, Gangopadhyay handed his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, along with copies to CJI DY Chandrachud and Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court TS Sivagnanam.

Born in August 1962, Gangopadhyay is no stranger to controversy. Be it getting into a confrontation with West Bengal’s advocate general or being asked by the Supreme Court not to speak to media on a subjudice case, he has seen it all.

In a career spanning close to four decades, including five years as a high court judge, Gangopadhyay had also been in a confrontation with a senior judge for overruling his order. The confrontation, which occurred in January 2024, was finally put to an end when the Supreme Court intervened and transferred the case before itself. In the last one year, the apex court had to, in fact, convene special benches on holidays or beyond court hours to pass orders in cases that were passed by Gangopadhyay.

Gangopadhyay rulings on various education-related issues in the state stirred debates. "For the last two or more years I have been dealing with some matters, especially education matters, regarding which a huge corruption has been discovered and unearthed. A large number of important persons in the education sector of this government are now languishing in jail, under trial," ANI had quoted him as saying.