LF publishes 2nd candidates’ list, Cong seat adjustment talks suffer set back

The Left Front on Thursday announced the second list of its 84 candidates which includes 11 seats Congress also intends to contest even as the two seek to formalise a tie-up for upcoming Assembly polls. The difference between the two parties widened after Left Front fielded candidates in 13 out of 22 seats in Murshidabad. The Left Front has fielded candidates in Congress strongholds like Suti, Jangipur, Raghunathgunj, Bhagwalgola, Noada, Bharatpur, Shansergunj, Sagardighi, Hariharpara, Baroan and Domkol.

Left Front chairman Biman Bose published a list of 84 candidates. In Thursday’s list there are 52 new faces while the number of women and minority candidates are 9 and 20 respectively. Biman Bose said if required a third list would be published some days later. Though Biman Bose did not say a single word on the issue, WBPCCC president Adhir Chowdhury did not hide his despair. He said that Congress had agreed to give five seats to the Left Front as Murshidabad had been a Congress stronghold since Independence. A visibly annoyed Chowdhury said: “It would be wrong if Left Front takes Congress for granted. In that case we will field candidates in all the 22 seats.” It has become prestige fight for Chowdhury, a principal advocate of the alliance and it would be a major setback for him if his control over the district is lost. Congress leaders like Pradip Bhattacharya, Abdul Mannan and Om Prakash Misra also did not hide their feelings. Bhattacharya said “Such behaviour on the part of the Left is uncalled for.”

Former State finance minister Asim Dasgupta and Sujan Chakraborty will contest against Amit Mitra and Manish Gupta of Trinamool Congress from Khardah and Jadavpur seats.  Biswanath Chowdhury, former social welfare minister will contest from Balurghat. Subhas Naskar, former Irrigation and waterways minister will contest from Basanti. Former food minister Paresh Adhikari will contest from Mekhligung. Veteran Forward Bloc leader Nirmal Das will contest from Alipurduar. Nepaldeb Bhattacharya will fight against Purnendu Basu in Rajarhat- Gopalpur constituency. Manas Mukherjee will fight against Madan Mitra from Kamarhati. Madhuja Sen Roy will fight against Aroop Biswas in Tollygunge. Ainul Haq, a close aide of former Industry minister Nirupam Sen will fight against Rabiranjan Chatterjee in Burdwan South. Chatterjee defeated Sen in 2011 Assembly polls. Bose said RJD candidates Abinash Chandra Agarwal and Nur Ahmed will contest from Jorasanko and Bhatpara constituencies while JDU candidates, Amitava Dutta and Mohammad Arshad will fight from Howrah Central and Islampur constituencies. The LF chairman during his speech did not take the name of Congress even for once. He said “many interested” parties had supported the Left Front.