iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Saikat Chakrabarti, a 39-year-old political activist and entrepreneur, has announced his candidacy for U.S. Congress, challenging veteran Democrat Nancy Pelosi in California’s 11th Congressional district, which encompasses San Francisco. Chakrabarti, a prominent figure in progressive circles, argues that the Democratic Party’s leadership in Washington is outdated and ill-equipped to address the challenges America faces today.
Chakrabarti expressed his discontent with the current state of leadership, particularly in light of the chaotic political landscape.
“Nancy Pelosi entered politics 45 years ago. Back then, your rent could be a few hundred dollars a month and a summer job covered college tuition. Republicans and Democrats agreed that climate change was real and that democracy was a good thing. Roe V. Wade was the law of the land, and it was impossible to imagine going backwards,” his website read.
“Today, even highly-paid professionals struggle to afford decent housing, healthcare, and education. MAGA Republicans are tearing apart virtually every public institution. And the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to allow states to totally ban abortion without exception for rape, incest, or age.
“I’m running for Congress because our Democratic party leaders in DC are unfit to lead in the world as it is today,” he said.
Chakrabarti’s announcement comes ahead of the 2026 elections, with the Democratic primary set for early next year. Pelosi’s current term in the U.S. House of Representatives will end in January 2027.
Reflecting on the state of American politics, Chakrabarti voiced his frustration with the Democratic Party. He stated, “The Democratic party needs to stop acting like it’s competing against a normal political party that plays by the rules, and it needs a bold vision for how to raise living standards, quality of life and security for all Americans.”
Chakrabarti’s background is as diverse as it is impressive. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, to Bengali immigrant parents, he moved to San Francisco after graduating from Harvard University. He launched a startup, worked as an engineer at the financial tech company Stripe, and later joined Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. “After a career in San Francisco’s tech industry, I helped lead Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign and then launched a project to recruit and elect new leaders to Congress. One of those leaders was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), and we went on to elect several others.” he explained on his campaign website.
Afterward, Chakrabarti returned to San Francisco, where he spent five years leading a policy think tank focused on creating solutions for the nation’s economic and environmental challenges. “Imagine what a whole new Democratic party leadership could accomplish!” he said.
On his campaign website, Chakrabarti highlighted the stark contrast between America’s past and present.
“Twenty terms in Congress is enough.
“Like many others, I was astonished when Nancy Pelosi filed to run for her 21st term in Congress. Shortly after, she told the New York Times that Democrats didn’t need to change and that Trump’s victory wasn’t their fault.
“Speaker Emeritus Pelosi is still calling the shots for the party. At a time when Democrats need the strongest possible voices to hold Trump and his oligarchs accountable, she personally blocked AOC from becoming the chairperson of the Congressional Oversight Committee.
“Nancy Pelosi has done many great things in her career. Now, though, she is blocking the change we need.
“She was a fighter who joined Congress in 1987 — but she does not understand the anti-Democratic, anti-Constitution, and anti-American forces that we are up against in 2025. And at age 84, she no longer has the strength for the current fight,” it said.
Chakrabarti’s candidacy is not just a challenge to Pelosi but also a bold vision for the future of the Democratic Party, one that he believes must evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing America. His campaign will seek to inject new energy and ideas into Washington, with the aim of reshaping the country’s political landscape.
(Photo courtesy: https://www.saikat.us/en)
