TMC declares candidates' list of 4 civic bodies; gives fair share to women contestants

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday announced its list of candidates for the corporation elections in Bidhannagar, Chandannagar, Asansol and Siliguri, which is slated for January 22, 2022. AITC has brought in new candidates for several seats in all the four civic bodies. At the same time, most of those who have previously served as councilors have been given tickets this time too.

The list of candidates shows that TMC leadership has laid emphasis on women candidates and a blend of old and young party leaders. Of the 33 wards in Chandannagar Municipal Corporation, the party has selected women candidates in 14 wards. While for Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, which has a total of 41 seats, 17 have been given to women candidates. For Siliguri Municipal Corporation, of the total 47 wards, All India Trinamool Congress has chosen 18 women candidates.

Of the four corporations going to polls, Trinamool Congress was in power in three civic bodies, barring Siliguri, which was won by the Left Front.

A meeting was held at the residence of Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee. Abhishek Banerjee, party's national general secretary, Firhad Hakim, Jyotipriya Mallick, Aroop Biswas and party's state president Subrata Bakshi were present at the meeting.

Firhad Hakim said the leadership had approved the names of nominees for four municipal corporations, namely, Bidhannagar, Asansol, Chandannagore and Siliguri unanimously. Stress was given on the clean image of the candidates and their winning possibilities. Names of all the candidates were discussed in the marathon meeting, which was chaired by the party's chairperson.

Krishna Chakraborty, who was the mayor of Bidhannagore Municipal Corporation, has been re-nominated from ward 29. Sabyasachi Dutta, who had rejoined Trinamool Congress recently from BJP, is contesting from ward 31. Dutta had fought against Sujit Bose in the 2021 Assembly election on BJP's ticket and lost. Tapas Chatterjee, Trinamool Congress MLA, has been dropped and instead his daughter Aratrika Bhattacharjee will be contesting from ward 3. TMC youth leader Debraj Chakraborty has been nominated. Party veteran Pronoy Roy, who was looking after the health portfolio in the outgoing board, has been nominated.

In Chandannagore, Ram Chakraborty—who was the mayor— has been re-nominated from ward 30. As TMC did well in the 2021 Assembly elections in Hooghly, the same success story is likely to be repeated in the civic election, opined political analysts.

Jitendra Tiwari, local ward president, has been nominated in 106 ward strong Asansol Municipal Corporation. Tewari is contesting from ward 68 in AMC. Kavita Yadav, three time CPI councilor, who joined Trinamool Congress early this week will contest. Babul Supriyo is not contesting the civic poll in Asansol.

Gautam Deb, former minister who lost to his BJP rival in Dabgram Fulbari Assembly seat, will contest in the civic poll of Siliguri Municipal Corporation from ward 33. Meanwhile, the alliance between Congress and Left Front in Asansol has severed and both are filing separate candidates.