TMC MLA from Taldangra wants to campaign, not contest polls

Kolkata: Taldangra MLA Samir Chakraborty has written to Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Thursday stating that he is not willing to contest the Assembly polls this time as he wants to devote more time in campaigning for the party.

This comes at a time when Banerjee is scheduled to announce names of the candidates of her party for all the 294 Assembly seats on Friday.

Chakraborty had won from Taldangra Assembly constituency in Bankura district in 2016 Assembly polls by 60,791 votes, though TMC trailed in the constituency by 17,268 votes in 2019 Parliamentary elections.

"So many leaders are coming to Bengal from Delhi and other states to campaign for BJP. I felt there is a need to give more time to campaign for my party. I wrote the letter to the party chairperson on Thursday only explaining that I want to give more time to work for the party. I am ready to go anywhere my party sends me for campaigning," Chakraborty said.