LS elections: Locals, including BJP activists, demand local candidates

Raiganj: Locals, including a section of BJP activists, launched a rally in Raiganj town on Thursday afternoon demanding all political parties field local candidates from the Raiganj seat in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The rally started from Ghori More at Mohanbati and concluded at Bidrohi More. Several participants even engaged in the Hindu religious practice of “Dondi” seeking divine intervention for

wish fulfilment. Nikhil Sarkar, a participant said: “In the last five years, there has been no major development in our Raiganj Parliamentary constituency. The BJP MP of Raiganj Debasree Chaudhuri is an outsider. Locals did not find her in times of crisis.

She failed in all aspects, including restarting the Radhikapur-Delhi train service. We urge all political parties, including BJP, to field local candidates from Raiganj.”

Bina Jha, a BJP activist said: “The MPs who are not local are not interested in the development of the constituency.”

Biswajit Lahiri, the former president of the North Dinajpur BJP committee said: “The MPs have preferred to remain silent on all important issues including shifting of AIIMS hospital; failure to construct the road from Raiganj to Barsoi in Bihar; pending Railways projects. They preferred to remain mere spectators without protesting.”