LOK SABHA ELECTIONS: The party has failed to decide on candidates for Murshidabad, Malda North and Darjeeling constituencies

Even though three days have passed since its alliance partner Trinamool Congress announced its list of candidates, the Congress is yet to release its own list. The reason: Bickering within the party over the probable candidate in the three seats namely Murshidabad, Malda North and Darjeeling.

According to party insiders, while External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is contesting from Jangipur constituency, Subrata Mukherjee is set to contest from Bankura seat. Raiganj seat is likely to go to Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi’s wife Dipa Dasmunshi and the party will field Adhir Chowdhury from Berhampur and Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, brother of late Ghani Khan Choudhury from Malda South.

So far as other constituencies are concerned, Asit Mal is expected to contest from Bolpur, Shantiram Mahato from Purulia, Nargis Begum from Burdwan-Durgapur, Amrit Hansda from Jhargram, Sukh Bilas Verma from Jalpaiguri.

The fate of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Aam Admi Ka Sipahi’, Mahua Moitra is also hanging in balance as Congress is yet to decide over allotting her a ticket. Congress sources said chances are bleak that she will be able to contest on a Congress ticket.

Congress leaders in Delhi are yet to decide on three seats till last reports came in. Mannan Hussain, who won last time from Murshidabad, was the first choice from that constituency but the man who stood in his is his bete noir Adhir Choudhury who recently sent a report against him to the party’s central leadership. At the Malda North seat, the Congress is yet to decide between Sabitri Mitra and Mousam Noor, now an MLA.

... contd.