Ashok Bhattacharya


Ashok Bhattacharya is an Indian politician and the current mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation. He is a member of Communist Party of India . He is a prominent leader of CPI in the northern region of West Bengal. He was the Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs in the Government of West Bengal for three consecutive terms.

Early Life

He was born in 1949 in Siliguri of West Bengal in Independent India. He was born and brought up in a Brahmin family. He completed his graduation from University of North Bengal in Siliguri, West Bengal.

Political Career

Ashok Bhattacharya started his political career as a corporator in Siliguri Municipal Corporation. He became the chairman of Siliguri municipality in 1987 and remained as the chairman till 1991. He was elected to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from Siliguri as a CPI candidate for the first time in 1991. He is a five-time MLA of West Bengal Legislative Assembly from Siliguri. He won elections from Siliguri in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2016. In 1996, he became the Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs in the Left Front Government in West Bengal under chief minister Jyoti Basu. He also continued as cabinet minister under chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee till 2011 when the Left Front Government lost the power to All India Trinamool Congress. in 2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, he was defeated by AITC candidate Rudra Nath Bhattacharya in Siliguri. But he won from Siliguri again in 2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election against AITC candidate and former captain of Indian National Football Team Bhaichung Bhutia.
In May 2015, Ashok Bhattacharya became the Mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation after the Left Front won the municipal election in Siliguri.