Roopa Ganguly In Rajya Sabha: BJP Building A Pool Of Leaders To Lead Bengal 

The nomination of actress-turned politician Roopa Ganguly to the Rajya Sabha signals the objective of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to prepare leaders from Bengal for a greater role in the state's affairs at a future date. The development also comes as a shot in the arm for the state unit of the party.

Her nomination to the Upper House also indicates that the BJP has a long-term roadmap for Bengal. After initiation of Babul Supriyo and S S Ahluwalia in the Union cabinet, her nomination to the Rajya Sabha shows that the BJP is intent on grooming leaders from Bengal for a role within the state at a future date.

Ganguly, 49, heads the state unit of the Mahila Morcha, the women's wing of the party. She has made her mark as a gutsy leader who is not afraid of taking on Mamata Banerjee. She is looked upon as someone who could be positioned as the perfect foil for Mamata Banerjee. Hence, her grooming, which started with her appointment as the Mahila Morcha chief, will continue in the Rajya Sabha where she will get to interact closely with senior party leaders. Senior BJP leaders say that Ganguly's potential was spotted much earlier, but some unfortunate developments became obstacles to her taking on a greater role.

Roopa Ganguly once expressed her reason to join politics: “I grew up in a middle-class home full of doctors and engineers. Our lifestyle was simple, but we had enough of everything. But the poverty of a vast majority of people in Bengal, and many who do not have enough, always troubled me. And then there has been misrule and bad governance ever since the CPM came to power. The CPM never practiced what it preached and the Left rule benefitted only a few. People had high hopes about Mamata Banerjee, but she has let the state down badly. Thus, I felt compelled to join politics and become a change agent. BJP is the only hope for Bengal now.”

She proved her mettle while campaigning for the municipal polls in April last year. On the evening of 14 April, she went to address a small street corner meeting in South Kolkata.

After she reached the spot a band of Trinamool ruffians arrived and started tearing down BJP flags. Ganguly not only prevented the Trinamool goons from doing any more damage but also snatched away the flags that they had taken. She stood her ground even though she was pushed and verbally abused.

Since then, Ganguly has been harassed many times by Trinamool cadres, but she did not back down. She established herself as one of the few BJP leaders in Bengal who is seen as not only having the courage to take on the ruling establishment, but also one who takes up issues concerning the people. This is the reason for why BJP supporters in Bengal want her to play a bigger role in steering the state unit.