View source for Malda: Kotwali

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[[Category:India |M ]]
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= ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury’s legacy=
==As in 2019==
[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F04%2F05&entity=Ar01502&sk=240EC557&mode=text  Subhro Maitra, Malda’s Kotwali: A house divided, but joined by Ghani Khan legacy, April 5, 2019: ''The Times of India'']

[[File: The gates of Kotwali, late Congress veteran ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury’s house in Malda. Cousins Mousam Noor (top) of Trinamool and Isha of Congress are vying for the Malda Uttar seat.jpg|The gates of Kotwali, late Congress veteran ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury’s house in Malda. Cousins Mousam Noor (top) of Trinamool and Isha of Congress are vying for the Malda Uttar seat <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F04%2F05&entity=Ar01502&sk=240EC557&mode=text  Subhro Maitra, Malda’s Kotwali: A house divided, but joined by Ghani Khan legacy, April 5, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]


Barely 7km from Malda town stands Kotwali, a palatial house whose residents are synonymous with politics and polls.

The address of Congress former Union minister ABA Ghani Khan Chowdhury, several Kotwali residents have won elections on Congress ticket, flaunting the former Union railway minister’s legacy even 13 years after his death in 2006.

Two members of the family dared to break the tradition and had a tryst with Trinamool — Ghani Khan’s brother Abu Naser Khan Chowdhury and the late leader’s niece Mousam Noor. Naser could not make it to the Bengal assembly on a Trinamool ticket and became an MLA after rejoining Congress. Mousam, Malda Uttar MP, is fighting on a Trinamool ticket this time. Her main contender is cousin and Congress candidate Isha Khan Chowdhury. Isha’s father Abu Hasem is the Congress candidate from Malda Dakshin.

Kotwali still holds the key to politics here. But when Rahul Gandhi spoke against the “gaddar” (Mousam), it didn’t come in the way of peaceful co-existence of Mousam and Isha in the Kotwali house.

Ghani Khan’s brother Abu Naser had fought from Sujapur assembly constituency on a Trinamool ticket in 2006. But he was defeated by nephew Isha. Mousam is now treading Abu Naser’s path.

Old-timers are yet to come to terms with Mousam’s switch to Trinamool when her mother Rubi Noor, Ghani Khan’s sister, was the unchallenged Congress leader of the district after her brother’s death. Mousam had cut her teeth in politics by contesting from Sujapur assembly seat. In 2009, she became Congress MP from Malda Uttar. A twoterm MP, Mousam was close to Rahul till she switched to Trinamool. Abu Hasem explained why his son Isha and not niece Mousam has the blessings of Kotwali. “People of Malda trust our family. Our family means Congress.”

Isha was guarded in his response, saying elections won’t hit family ties. “Politics and family are separate matters,” he said.

When asked about her decision, Mousam said, “Ghani Khan’s dream can be realised only through Mamata Banerjee. It was people’s demand to be with the development, and I had to join Trinamool.”