Trinamool to field candidates for polls in other states

Sounding the clarion call ahead of elections in many states next year, Trinamool Congress has decided to field its candidates in the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur  and Tripura.  Party vice-president Mukul Roy made the announcement on Wednesday.

This is the party’s first major step after receiving the status of a national party. Trinamool Congress has been recognised as the principal opposition party in Tripura – which is currently ruled by CPI(M) – and it is going to field its candidates in the Assembly election scheduled to be held in 2017.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee  had gone to Tripura and addressed a rally that had received overwhelming response from the people. In four other states the party will open its offices and is already engaged to expand support base.

A meeting of the party’s policy making body will be held at Kalighat on September 16. Banerjee, who is also the party supremo, will chair the meeting.  The matter of elections in other states is likely to be discussed there. Roy said he had preliminary discussion with Banerjee on the matter.

It may be recalled that on May 27 when Banerjee took the oath in office for the second time at a function on Red Road, leaders from different political parties including Arvind Kejriwal, Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Farooq Abdullah  had come for the swearing in ceremony.

This had intensified the formation of a Third Front against the BJP at the Centre. Banerjee had then said that she was ready for all kind of discussion with the leaders. Political experts felt that fielding of candidates in the Assembly elections of five states is another step closes to the formation of a Third Front to contest in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.