Who Is Saikat Chakrabarti? Indian-Origin Challenger Taking On Nancy Pelosi In 2026 US Congress Race

Saikat Chakrabarti, a Harvard-educated software engineer turned political strategist, is running against veteran Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi in the 2026 Democratic primary for California’s 11th Congressional District. The former chief of staff to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has accused senior Democratic figures, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, of “failing the party” and called for new leadership to rebuild it.

In an interview with Zeteo, Chakrabarti said he would not support Jeffries as party leader if elected to Congress and argued that “he should be primaried.” He later shared the clip on his X account, writing, “It’s not just me. Nearly 80 people running for Congress declined to support Jeffries for leader. We need new people to completely rebuild this party to be one that can stop an authoritarian coup and build an economy that works for working people.”

Pelosi, who has held her San Francisco seat since 1987 and served twice as Speaker of the House, is seeking her 21st term. Chakrabarti’s campaign website describes her as a “fighter” who no longer understands the political realities of 2025 and lacks “the strength for the current fight.”

Who is Saikat Chakrabarti?

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, to Bengali immigrant parents from India, Saikat Chakrabarti studied computer science at Harvard University before moving to San Francisco in 2009. He worked as an early engineer at financial technology company Stripe after co-founding a tech start-up.

In 2016, he left the tech industry to join Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, where he built digital tools for grassroots fundraising and outreach. The following year, he co-founded Justice Democrats, a progressive political organisation that recruited new candidates across the United States to run for Congress.

Through the group, Chakrabarti helped launch Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s successful 2018 campaign and later served as her first chief of staff in Congress. After leaving Washington, he returned to San Francisco to head a policy think tank focused on economic and environmental solutions through clean energy initiatives.

Known Critic of Democratic leadership

Chakrabarti has long been a controversial voice within the Democratic Party. In 2019, while serving as Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, he faced internal criticism for his outspoken social media posts. He accused centrist Democrats of harming minority communities and, in one now-deleted tweet, compared them to segregation-era Southern Democrats. The remarks led to tension within the party, with Pelosi reportedly addressing the issue in a closed-door meeting.

He also drew attention from conservative media for wearing a T-shirt featuring Indian freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose, a figure criticised for his wartime alliance with Nazi Germany.

Chakrabarti’s campaign represents a direct challenge to the Democratic establishment. By taking on Pelosi, one of the most influential figures in American politics, he has positioned himself as a representative of the party’s younger, progressive wing seeking a generational shift in leadership.

Published on: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 04:13 PM IST