Madan Mitra to contest election from Kamarhati

People from all walks of life in Kamarhati were upbeat after Madan Mitra’s name was announced as Trinamool Congress candidate from the Assembly constituency.

Mitra, the former Transport Minister in Mamata Banerjee’s Cabinet, was arrested in connection with the muti-crore Saradha Group scam on December 12, 2014. He is yet to secure bail and would contest from correctional home.

There were speculations that Mitra would be contesting the election from where he had won in 2011. The picture was clear when senior leaders of the party including Partha Chatterjee and Sougata Roy had claimed almost a month ago that Mitra would be the candidate from Kamarhati. Roy had openly said in a public meeting that no one else then Mitra is suitable to contest in Trinamool Congress ticket from Kamarhati.  

On way to court, Mitra had over and again said that he will follow the direction of the party and would contest in the election if the party gives him an opportunity.

In 2011, Mitra had won the poll from Kamarhati by defeating Manas Mukherjee of CPI(M), who was the elected representatives from the area for the two consecutive terms. He had secured 74,112 votes and became the state’s sport minister. 

Later he was awarded with the additional charge of the transport department.

Mitra, who is known for helping out people without seeing their colour, became popular among the people of Kamarhati for various development project that he had taken up for the area soon after winning the elections. 

So the people from the area had placed their demand before other senior leaders of the party to allow Mitra to contest election from Kamarhati itself. 

It is learnt that many senior leaders of the party had spoken in favour of allowing Mitra to contest in the election. The reason being the leaders were quite confident about Mitra’s popularity in the area because of his contact with the grassroot.  

Moreover, in his absence his son went to the area and distributed blankets among the poor. Haran Bez, a Trinamool Congress worker from Kamarhati, said: “We had been eagerly waiting for the day. We are extremely happy and thankful to the chief of the party Mamata Banerjee for announcing Mitra’s name as a candidate from Kamarhati Assembly constituency.”