The upcoming Mohun Bagan elections have sparked significant excitement among the members and fans of the century-old club. Internal rivalries within the ruling Trinamool Congress party (TMC) have surfaced through active involvement in the election campaigns for current club secretary Debasish Dutta and former general secretary Srinjoy Bose—both backed by separate factions within the state’s ruling party.
Mayor of Kolkata, Firhad Hakim (Bobby) has thrown his weight behind Bose, while Debasish Dutta has the support of Deputy Mayor, Atin Ghosh. Shreya Pandey, daughter of the late minister Sadhan Pandey, was seen in one of the election campaigns of Srinjoy and his group.
Several party heavyweights, including the likes of Prasun Banerjee, Member of Parliament MP in the Lok Sabha from Howrah, and Arup Roy, Minister for Food Processing Industries and Horticulture, have also been campaigning for both Srinjoy and Debasish. Swadhin Mullick, elder brother of former minister Jyotipriyo Mullick and a former ground secretary of the club, has been seen supporting Srinjoy’s group.
The upcoming elections of Mohun Bagan club has become a microcosm of the broader divide within TMC. Three councillors from Khidirpur, closely associated with Mayor Hakim, are actively campaigning for Srinjoy’s camp, while Atin Ghosh has mobilised North Kolkata councillors for Debasish.
Several former players of the club have been seen in the election campaigns for both Srinjoy and Debasish. On Saturday, former club president Swapan Sadhan Bose (Tutu) was present at Ahiritola, in North Kolkata, to campaign for his younger son along with the likes of Sisir Ghosh, Subrata Bhattacharya, Shilton Paul, Amit Bhadra and others.
The influence of North Kolkata and Howrah voters, long considered crucial in Mohun Bagan’s elections, remains a key factor. Out of 6,818 eligible voters, a majority reside in areas like Shyambazar, Baghbazar, Fariapukur, and Shobhabazar.
In Howrah, Arup openly urged voters to support Srinjoy, suggesting that Bose has strong backing from Nabanna, the state secretariat. Srinjoy’s proximity to the state leadership was also highlighted by his presence, alongside Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the inauguration of the Kalighat Skywalk. Interestingly, both Srinjoy and Debasish were seen with the Chief Minister at the opening ceremony of the Jagannath temple in Digha, underscoring the high political stakes.
The two rival factions have also coined slogans to mobilise supporters: “Amrai Mohun Bagan” (We are Mohun Bagan) from Debasish’s group, and “Tomake Chai” (We want you) from Srinjoy’s camp.
Despite the political heavyweights involved, Dutta downplayed the implications. “The politicians involved are also club members. Everyone has personal preferences,” he said.
Echoing a similar sentiment, Srinjoy remarked, “Politicians have long been part of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. These elections should not be viewed purely through a political lens.”
Although the venue of the much-anticipated Mohun Bagan club elections is yet to be officially confirmed, it is widely speculated that the polls will be held on June 22 at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, from 8 am onwards.