Sheikh Shahjahan: From trekker driver to TMC strongman, the man at the center of Sandeshkhali row

The unrest in the Sandeshkhali region of West Bengal has ballooned into a major political row. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blamed the saffron camp of fomenting trouble in the area, while the BJP and the National Commission for Women (NCW) accused her party TMC and the state government of being complicit in crimes against women in the area.

Sandeshkhali row: What is it? How did it start?
The National Commission for Women (NCW), whose team had visited the area a few days back, in a damning report, has highlighted widespread fear and systematic abuse in Sandeshkhali, implicating both police officers and TMC members.


At the center of the controversy is Sheikh Shahjahan.

So who is Sheikh Shahjahan?

Shahjahan, a leader within the TMC, wields significant influence spanning from Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas to Malancha in South 24 Parganas. He is widely regarded as the party's most prominent figure in the area, with involvement in various sectors including bheris, brick kilns, transportation, and vegetable syndicates.

His journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Beginning in 1999 as a trekker driver and part-time vegetable vendor, Shahjahan entered politics in 2003, inspired by his uncle Moslem Sheikh's involvement with the CPM and subsequent election as panchayat pradhan.

“Shahjahan quit his driver’s job. He turned into a goon, controlling local bheris and dealing in vested land. Soon, he grew into a prominent figure in North 24 Parganas. He, along with his uncle, had such a strong hold on the area that even when Left lost back-to-back elections from 2009, they continued to remain in office in his part of North 24 Parganas,” a Trinamool functionary in the district told the Times of India.

Despite the Left's electoral setbacks, he and his uncle maintained their stronghold in the region, earning popularity among villagers for their philanthropic endeavors and employment initiatives.

In 2013, Shahjahan aligned himself with the Trinamool Congress under the leadership of Jyotipriya Mullick, breaking away from his uncle's association with the CPM. Building his own faction within the party, Shahjahan continued to expand his influence and business ventures while fulfilling various roles within the TMC hierarchy.

Shahjahan's contributions have been instrumental in the party's electoral successes, the TOI report added.

He has several cases against his name, from assault to even murder.

Such was his influence in the region that he in 2021, took renamed a market after himself.