As election fever peaks in India, public attention is typically focussed on top leaders and the race for power in high profile urban constituencies. At Citizen Matters, our election coverage has been designed to cut through unnecessary noise and empower readers with whatever they need to make informed electoral decisions. To that end, we encourage reportage on real issues within constituencies and the roles and performance of elected representatives and candidates.
Earlier this year, Oorvani Foundation had collaborated with Youth ki Awaaz to host a Civic Journalism Training Programme, where young aspiring citizen journalists attended discussions and workshops on governance, democracy, the roles and responsibilities of elected representatives (among other topics). In the process, they also learnt how to profile and assess the performance of the latter. This article has been written by one of the participants of the programme from Murshidabad, a city in central West Bengal.
The one-time Lok Sabha MP representing Murshidabad constituency, Abu Taher Khan from the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has quite a long history in politics. He was the MLA of the Nowda assembly constituency for three terms, from the Indian National Congress (INC) in 2006, 2011 and 2016. He was elected as MP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Murshidabad as the AITC candidate.
In 2019, Abu Taher got 41.57 per cent of the 6,04,346 votes cast in Murshidabad constituency. He defeated his nearest rival, Abu Hena of the INC, by 2,26,417 votes.
Abu Taher Khan: Personal information
| Name | Abu Taher Khan |
| Age | 60 years |
| Political Party | All India Trinamool Congress |
| Educational Qualification | Madhyamik Pass |
| Profession | Agriculture, Politics |
| Enrolled as Voter in | 10, Berhampore (West Bengal) constituency, at Serial no 265 in Part no 178 |
| abu.taher@sansad.nic.in | |
| Contact Number | 9732514853/011- 23310499 |
| Address | B-604, Gomti Apartments, M.S. Flats, B.K.S. Marg, New Delhi-110001 Village: Nowda, Post: Nowda, Murshidabad, West Bengal, Pin- 742121 |
Online presence:
- Facebook: Abu Taher Khan
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mpabutaherkhan
- Twitter: @AbuTahekhan
Criminal cases
According to Abu Taher Khan’s affidavit, he has three criminal cases pending against him. Among these, one is an attempt to murder charge, while another one pertains to voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons.
Read more: Lok Sabha 2024: Know your MP – P C Mohan, Bangalore Central Constituency
Assets and Liabilities
| Details | Holdings in 2019 | Holdings in 2024 |
| Movable assets | 2.03 lakh | 13.02 lakh |
| Immovable assets | 73 lakh | 3.30 cr |
| Total Assets (Movable + Immovable) | 75.03 lakh | 3.43 cr |
| Liabilities | 9.18 lakh | Nil |
Positions held
- 2001 – 2019: Member, West Bengal Legislative Assembly (Four terms)
In the 17th Lok Sabha (2019):
- Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries
- Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing (September 2019 onwards)
Source: Lok Sabha
Performance in Parliament
During his tenure as MP, Abu Taher Khan’s record seems to have been just about average. He has an attendance of 65% in Parliament.
The Budget Session of 2024 saw a quarter of attendance, indicating subdued participation compared to previous years. However, the Winter Session of 2023 boasted full attendance, showcasing robust engagement and debate. A Special Session held earlier in 2023 witnessed a moderate turnout of 50%, while the Monsoon Session of the same year recorded minimal engagement at 0%.
| MP | Attendance | No. of debates participated | No. of questions asked | Private Member’s Bill |
| Abu Taher Khan | 65 % | 6 | 4 | Nil |
| National average | 79 % | 45.1 | 204 | 1.5 |
| State (TN) average | 66 % | 33.3 | 136 | 0.6 |
Abu Taher participated in 6 debates, which is much lower than the national and state average.
Some of the debates he participated in include:
- Request to government to release the BADP fund at the earliest.
- Request to release the fund to repair the 120 km long road, which passes through Jalangi, Raninagar, Bhagabangola, Karimpur, bordering areas of Nadia
- The Union Budget 2020–2021 – Demand for Grant No. 83
- Discussion on crop loss due to various reasons and its impact on farmers
- Request to focus on the bordering areas of Murshidabad district of West Bengal and instruct the BSF personnel to pull up their socks.
- Discussion on the Demand for Grant No. 82 under the control of the Ministry of Railways.
The MP candidate asked only four questions in Parliament, which is quite low compared to the national and state average. These questions include:
- Declaration of Monuments as Monuments of National Importance
- Repairing of Roads
- Funds to West Bengal under PRASHAD Scheme
- Anti-Erosion Measures.
Source: PRSIndia
Read more: Special Project: Lok Sabha Elections 2024
Abu Taher Khan in the news
Abu Taher Khan’s political career began when he stood as an INC candidate for the Nowda (Vidhan Sabha constituency) during the 2001 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections. Khan kept this seat for 18 years, as he was able to win the elections of 2006, 2011 and 2016.
In 2019, Khan gave up his seat at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly to contest in the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Murshidabad as an AITC candidate and emerged the winner.
In November 2022, Abu Taher Khan was in the news when the car in which the incumbent MP was travelling hit and fatally injured a six-year-old boy in Murshidabad.
MPLADS spending of Murshidabad
As per data from the office of the District Magistrate of Murshidabad, Taher has used Rs 4.29 crore out of Rs 7 crore available to him under MPLADS. In five years, he used this amount for 189 projects related to water, toilets, street lighting, road infrastructure, education, Anganwadi, hospitals, parks, playgrounds, security, sports, and civic and community development.
| Amount recommended by MP | Rs 7 crore |
| Expenditure incurred | Rs 4.29 crore |
| Unspent balance | Rs 2.71 crore |
| Utilisation percentage of amount released | 59.10 % |