Local pressure forces CPI(M) to change Bhatpara candidate

For the first time in the history of CPI(M), the “bourgeois  vice” of putting pressure on the leadership  to change the candidate whose name was announced has worked with the party deciding to replace the person  to keep the rank and file in good humor.    

Left Front chairman Biman Bose had announced the candidature of Nur Ahmed from Bhatpara seat in RJD ticket. This created a flutter in the party and local party workers staged a demonstration at Alimuddin Street, party’s state headquarters on March 11.

Interestingly, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya who told the agitators demanding replacement of the candidate that this was not the culture of the party where such pressure tactics would not work, had swallowed his words and he along with Biman Bose and Suryakanta Misra, state secretary of CPI(M) assigned the North 24 Parganas leadership to resolve the issue. The District Committee of North 24 Parganas unit of the party decided to field Jitendra Sahu replacing Nur Ahmed of RJD. Sahu will have to contest in RJD ticket.

The decision has shocked some veteran party leaders. They maintained “Such things never happen in a Communist party. But when our leaders have decided to hold the Congress’ hand, then anything can happen.”

Sahu’s main opponent will be Trinammol Congress sitting MLA Arjun Singh. Bhatpara was once a strong CPIM stronghold under the leadership of Tarit Baran Topdar. 

The area switched over to Singh after he was elected for the second time in 2011. He has under his command a band of young workers and the development carried out in the area will be his trump 

card.

Sahu is relying on the Congress workers to win in the election. Political experts said it would be a tough fight for the Left as the party’s organisation is weak in the area.