Sheikh Mohammad Illias

Illias was born on 10 March 1958 to a Bengali family of Muslim Sheikhs in the village of Samsabad in Midnapore district, West Bengal. He is the son of Sheikh Abdul Jabbar. Illias studied at the Nandigram Braja Mohan Tewary High School and Sitananda College. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree.^[2]

Illias contested in the 2001 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election where he ran as an Indian National Congress candidate for Nandigram Assembly constituency, defeating Trinamool politician Sunil Baran Maiti.^[3][4] Illias was a member of the Standing Committee on Housing and Public Works. He was re-elected in the 2006 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, defeating Maiti once again.^[5][6]