The Bengal Congress is contesting the upcoming Kolkata civic polls on its own, detaching itself from the Left Front, at least for the upcoming elections. Meanwhile the state BJP is preparing its list of candidates, and is expected to release it despite having reservations on holding of elections only in Kolkata.
The Pradesh Congress on Saturday evening released its first list with 66 names. Around 60 more names are expected to be announced on Sunday. With candidates in over 120 seats, Congress candidates will compete with Left candidates in many constituencies, along with those of Trinamool or the BJP. A party leader, however, said that the party will not disturb seats where Left is likely to have strong results. But the Congress is leaving only a few seats, given the number of candidates it wants to field.
The Left Front’s ‘unilateral’ announcement of candidates on Friday acted as the trigger for this action. Sources in the party confirmed that a section of local leaders and the party supporters were not happy at the Left’s announcement and felt that they were being treated unjustly. The Left has left around 17 seats for its partners, namely the Congress and the Indian Secular Front.
Despite having contested elections with the Left Front, not much materialised in the last assembly elections. A section within supporters also believe that the party has done relatively better than the left in the recent elections.
Party MP and state chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury talking to DH, however, said that he has “delegated (the decisions on civic elections) to the leadership of the district concerned, and if at all adjustments are possible, I don’t have objections”.
When asked if the Congress is parting ways, Chowdhury said that Congress has been with the Left all these years, and instead it’s the CPI(M) who takes mercurial decisions.
While a state BJP leader’s petition is due for being heard on Monday, the party is simultaneously preparing its list of candidates. “The court matter is a different issue. The candidate selection, preparation is on. We are in court, so on the ground,” Shamik Bhattacharya, party’s state chief spokesperson told Deccan Herald.
While the BJP performed stronger than earlier in the last assembly elections, it failed to replace the Trinamool-led government. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has remained with the Trinamool Congress for the last two five-year terms. Meena Devi Purohit, a former deputy mayor representing the BJP, however, expects that the party will perform better this time.
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