West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday said that the party has decided candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats in the State.
“We have decided candidates on seven seats and accordingly the candidates have been informed,” Mr. Chowdhury said.
According to the Baharampur MP, senior Congress leader Nepal Mahato will be contesting the Lok Sabha election and Miltan Rashid will be contesting from Birbhum. Mr. Chowdhury said that the All India Congress Committee has confirmed the name of Mortaza Hossain from Jangipur and his name from Baharampur.
Mr. Hossain is the grandson of Congress leader Abus Sattar and has been actively engaged in politics in Murshidabad district. The Congress party will also field candidates at Raiganj, Malda Uttar and Malda Dakshin, and the Kolkata Uttar seat, Mr. Chowdhury said. Sources within the Congress party said that sitting MP from Malda Dakshin, Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, will make way for his son Isha Khan Choudhury.
Mr. Chowdhury said that a formal announcement of the seats and the candidates will be made by the AICC. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) led Left Front has not announced candidates on these seven seats and the development indicates an electoral understanding between the Left front and the Congress in the State.
Asked about the alliance, the State Congress president said that Congress wanted to field a candidate from Alipurduar in north Bengal but Revolutionary Socialist Party a constituent of the Left Front have announced candidates on the seat. Regarding tie up with the Indian Secular Front, the State Congress president ruled out any alliance with the party.
The Trinamool Congress has announced candidature on 42 seats of the State, while the BJP has decided on names of 19 seats and the Left Front on 16 constituencies. Elections to the 42 Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal will be held across seven phases.
