Congress faces mounting pressure in Malda over delay in candidate list

Malda: Even 12 days after the announcement of the Assembly election schedule in West Bengal, the Congress is yet to release its candidate list, leaving its campaign in Malda virtually stalled while rivals surge ahead. The delay has now taken a new turn, with wall graffiti writing appearing in parts of the Malda Assembly Constituency — declaring former MLA Bhupendranath Halder (Arjun) as the party’s candidate, even before any official announcement.

The development highlights growing impatience within sections of the Congress’ local leadership and cadre, unwilling to fall behind the Trinamool Congress (TMC), BJP and Left parties, all of whom have already begun aggressive campaigning.

Interestingly, Bhupendranath Halder himself distanced from the move. “I do not support wall writing before the official announcement by the AICC. Party workers, driven by emotion, have taken this step. With other parties already on the ground, such reactions from grassroots workers are natural,” he said. He further added: “Congress has always maintained that ensuring voting rights comes first, then the election. That is one reason for the delay in announcing candidates.”

The opposition was quick to seize on the controversy. BJP’s Malda South district president Ajay Gangopadhyay mocked the situation, saying: “Every Congress leader seems to have a different opinion. So, there is nothing surprising about such premature wall writing.”

The TMC also sharpened its attack, claiming the opposition is far behind in election preparedness. TMC leader Biswajit Ghosh said: “Other parties are lagging far behind us. The Trinamool Congress has already announced candidates for all 294 Assembly seats in the state, while Congress is still struggling. The people of Malda will now stand with the Chief Minister’s development agenda.”

Earlier, Congress workers had already expressed frustration over the delay, stating that without a declared candidate, they were unable to effectively connect with voters. The unofficial wall campaign now underscores the urgency felt at the grassroots level, even as the central leadership continues to hold back the final list.

With less than a month left for polling, the delay—and now internal inconsistencies—could significantly impact Congress’ prospects in Malda, a district where it once held considerable influence but has struggled in recent elections.