By-polls: CPI(M) to field candidate in Bhowanipore

KOLKATA: CPI(M)will field candidate in Bhowanipore by-election.

This was decided at a meeting between Congress and CPI(M) parties on Friday. Congress will field candidates in Shamshergunj and Jangipur where elections could not be held following deaths of the candidates.

Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, state Agriculture minister, who won from Bhowanipore seat is likely to contest from Khardah while Mamata Banerjee is likely to contest from Bhowanipore.

Bhowanipore was a Congress stronghold. Over the years, there has been erosion in Congress support base and the traditional Congress voters have moved to TMC.

Ashok Lahiri of BJP is likely to be the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. He is the favoured candidate of BJP's central leadership.

However, state BJP is backing Mukul Roy for the post. This is likely to expose the fight between the central and state leadership. After the poll debacle, the state BJP is not blindly accepting the orders of the central leaders.