Rajib Banerjee: Ex-TMC MLA seeks to win Domjur seat, this time as BJP candidate

Rajib Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) minister-turned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member, is one of the key contestants in the fray in phase four of West Bengal polls, scheduled for Saturday. Banerjee is contesting from Domjur constituency in Howrah district.

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He won the seat twice, in 2011 and 2016, but on TMC’s ticket and is now contesting for the BJP. 

Banerjee first won the seat in 2011, after defeating CPI(M)’s Mohanta Chatterjee, and was made the state Irrigation and Waterways Minister.

He retained the seat in 2016 by defeating Pratima Dutta, the wife of a slain green activist, for whom the Left extended its support.

In 2018, he was removed from the post and was given the charge of the Tribal Affairs and Backward Classes department. After BJP’s major win in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Banerjee was again removed from the post and was made the forest minister.

Ahead of the crucial Assembly polls, he left the TMC and joined the BJP.

The two-time MLA is an alumnus of St Xavier’s College, holds an MBA degree from the International Institute of Management Education (IIME) and a Diploma in Computer Application.