Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay joins BJP following resignation from Calcutta High Court

Former Calcutta High Court judge, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, marking a notable move in his career a few days after stepping down from the esteemed judicial position. Gangopadhyay had previously announced his decision to join the party on March 7.

As part of the development, all education-related cases in the Calcutta High Court, previously under Justice Gangopadhyay's jurisdiction, have been shifted to other benches.

Gangopadhyay, addressing his decision to enter politics, stated, "Maybe on 7th (March) in the afternoon. There is a tentative program when I will join BJP." He further mentioned that the party would decide on his potential candidacy in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, emphasizing that the ruling party of the state had inspired his foray into politics.

Speculation surrounds the possibility of Gangopadhyay contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from Bengal's Tamluk constituency on a BJP ticket. The Tamluk seat, traditionally held by the ruling Trinamool Congress since the 2009 election, has been a significant stronghold for the party.

Gangopadhyay's resignation from the Calcutta High Court has stirred controversy, particularly due to his rulings on various education-related issues in the state. He claimed to have dealt with matters exposing significant corruption in the education sector, leading to the incarceration of several influential individuals.

In February, the Supreme Court had tagged a plea by Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, urging directions to take action against Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay for his alleged "continuous politically motivated interviews" related to sub-judice cases.

Gangopadhyay cited a call of conscience as the reason for leaving his judicial position, expressing his commitment to working for the welfare of the public. His transition to politics and alignment with the BJP marks a significant development in West Bengal's political landscape.