Biswabrata Goswami
KRISHNAGAR, 30 MAY: With thousands of supporters thronging the streets in a massive show of strength, Alifa Ahmed — daughter of late MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed — officially entered the political fray today, filing her nomination for the high-stakes Kaliganj Assembly by-election. The 38-year-old tech professional-turned-politician pledged to uphold her father’s legacy and build a new chapter of inclusive development in the constituency.
Flanked by senior Trinamul Congress leaders including minister Ujjal Biswas and Nadia zilla parishad sabhadhipati Tarannum Sultana, Alifa arrived at the Kaliganj Block Development Office around 3 pm to submit her nomination papers to the returning officer. The by-election, scheduled in the wake of her father’s untimely death in February, has now become a litmus test for both legacy and leadership.
“I will work with all communities, leaving behind any religious prejudice, to fulfill the incomplete task my father has left behind,” Alifa told reporters. “My father was very popular and worked for everyone. I intend to do the same — only better.”
Nasiruddin Ahmed, a veteran TMC leader and respected lawyer, was first elected in 2011 and made a strong comeback in 2021 after a brief electoral defeat in 2016. He won the last Assembly election with a commanding margin of 47,000 votes — a figure his daughter now vows to surpass.
A B.Tech graduate who recently resigned from a multinational IT firm, Alifa said the decision to contest from Kaliganj was driven not by dynasty, but by duty. “I am not just the daughter of the late Trinamul MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed, but an active politician,” she said, citing her election as a zilla parishad member in 2018 and her key role in her father’s 2021 campaign.
Dismissing allegations of dynastic politics, she added, “I have always remained connected to Kaliganj as a daughter of the soil, and the people here know and love me.”
Alifa’s vision for Kaliganj includes transforming Plassey into a premier historical tourism hub, constructing an overbridge across the Jalangi river to improve connectivity with Katwa, launching an English-medium school, completing an under-construction stadium, and prioritizing women’s education.
She also struck a combative tone against the BJP, accusing it of attempting to polarise voters. “That strategy won’t work in Kaliganj,” she said confidently.
With her nomination now formalised, Alifa Ahmed is poised to carry forward her father’s political legacy — but on her own terms, with promises of modern development, communal harmony, and a new generation of leadership.
