He is an atheist. He doesn’t believe in the existence of Ram Temple at Ayodhya that was allegedly brought down by first Mughal emperor Babur. He also doesn’t think the Adam’s Bridge — the 48-km long chain of shoals connecting India and Sri Lanka — was built by Ram. But Bratin Sengupta is the BJP candidate from Barasat Lok Sabha seat. Had he been not the BJP candidate, he could be mistaken for a hardcore Marxist.

The young man, who now hails BJP prime ministerial candidate L K Advani as his guru and regards Sushma Swaraj as his guide, was a Rajya Sabha from CPM for six years — 1996 to 2002. A fiery student leader, he was the general secretary of the SFI, the CPM’s student wing, for several years. He has also served as the editor of Students’ Struggle, the SFI’s organ, which was once edited by senior CPM leader Sitaram Yechury.

“Even when I was an MP, I got disillusioned with the CPM as I found the party had a narrow vision and stifled all dissent with an iron hand,” say Sengupta.

“It was around then that I got attracted towards the BJP for its developmental agenda. I protested against so many things in which the CPM indulged. For example, in 2000, I wrote to the then Governor Viren J Shah protesting against police high-handedness against journalists at the Writers’ Buildings. But for that, I was censured by the then party general secretary late Harkishen Singh Surjit. There were several other things against which I protested. Finally, on March 1, 2002, I joined the BJP,” he adds.

... contd.