Ratna Debnath, Mother Of RG Kar Victim And BJP Candidate, Leading In Bengal's Panihati

Ratna Debnath, the mother of the young woman who was raped and killed in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, is leading in Panihati seat in the West Bengal assembly election. She is contesting on a BJP ticket.

The Trinamool Congress's Tirthankar Ghosh was earlier this morning ahead of her. Now, he's trailing.

Ratna Debnath's party is also on its way to making a historic statement with a meteoric rise in Bengal, a state where the BJP had never been able to form the government.

The BJP is leading in 183 seats, followed by Trinamool Congress at 110.

Ratna Debnath entered the electoral ground with a battlecry against the Mamata Banerjee government over incidents of crime against women in the state. Her campaign focussed on addressing this critical issue.

West Bengal has in recent years seen a series of incidents that raised questions about governance and institutional integrity. The murder of the young doctor on the premises of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital had sparked widespread outrage.

The protests that followed gradually lost momentum, with several participants alleging pressure and punitive actions, including transfers. Some of these actions were challenged before the Calcutta High Court.