Rift to fore in West Bengal Congress over nominees

In Murshidabad, there  is an open revolt against the high command with Adhir Choudhury, party strongman in the district, on Friday openly declaring that he would not campaign for Trinamool candidates. 

He was also reported to be upset over the Congress high command clearing the name of Murshidabad MP M Hussain's son Shoumik from Raninagar.

“Everyone, including Adhir, has kept the names of their relatives in the list that has been sent to the high command. I don't understand why he(Adhir)is angry with me alone when the relatives of other MPs also got the approval,” Hussain said.

Not in good books

The high command rejected the candidature of party veterans like Abdul Mannan, Shankar Singh, Ardhendu Shekhar Roy and Amitav Chakraborty who are reportedly not in the good books of Pradesh Congress chief Manas Bhuinya.

Meanwhile, the state Congress leaders are extremely cut up with the Trinamool after the TMC ally SUCI announced its decision to field nominees against the Congress.

“We have an alliance with the Trinamool Congress, and not with the Congress. The Trinamool Congress has a separate alliance with the Congress which does not involve us,” SUCI(C) general  secretary Provas Ghosh said.

The 19 seats the SUCI has proposed to contest included Nalhati in Birbhum district and Sabang in East Midnapore district, where the Congress has fielded Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's son Abhijit Mukherjee and Pradesh Congress president Manas Bhuinya respectively.

In at least 17 seats, the Opposition votes are likely to be divided between the Congress and the SUCI, benefiting the ruling Left Front. The SUCI, which has been an ally of the Trinamool Congress, is known for its ideological aversion to the Congress.

This apart, the Congress virtually broke away from the newly formed United Secular Democratic Front (USD) to ally with the Trinamool Congress. The peeved USDF allies have decided to sever all truck with the Congress and decided to announce their nominees in 147 seats.