Debangshu Bhattacharya
Debangshu Bhattacharya (born 1 April 1996) is an Indian politician, social activist, and social media content creator affiliated with the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in West Bengal. He is a prominent youth face for the party and serves as the state in-charge for the AITC's Information Technology & Social Media wing. He is widely recognized for creating the popular political slogan and song "Khela Hobe", which became the central anthem for the AITC during the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections.
Early life and education
Debangshu Bhattacharya was born on 1 April 1996 in Howrah, West Bengal, India. He completed his schooling at Bally Nischinda Chittaranjan Vidyalaya in Howrah. In 2017, he obtained a Diploma in Civil Engineering from the Elite Institute of Engineering and Management under the West Bengal State Council of Technical and Vocational Education & Skill Development. Before his full-time entry into politics, he identified professionally as a social media content creator and freelancer.
Political career
Bhattacharya rose to prominence through his ACTIVE presence on social media platforms, defending AITC policies and articulating the party's ideological positions. His digital engagement led to his appointment as the state spokesperson and the President of the AITC Social Media and IT Cell.
"Khela Hobe" and the 2021 elections
In the run-up to the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, Bhattacharya composed a rap-style song titled "Khela Hobe" (translating to "The game is on"). The song, uploaded to social media in January 2021, quickly went viral. Its DJ versions became anthems for the AITC's election campaign, ultimately helping to counter the opposition and driving significant youth engagement for the party.
Electoral campaigns
In the 2024 Indian general election, the AITC nominated Bhattacharya as their candidate for the Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency in the Purba Medinipur district. Tamluk witnessed a high-profile contest, and Bhattacharya was defeated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, former Calcutta High Court Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, by a margin of 77,733 votes.
Bhattacharya was also the AITC candidate for the Chunchura assembly constituency in Hooghly for the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections.