JOIN USWest Bengal polls: CPI(M) to focus on young candidates
In a bid to bring up the second generation of leaders in West Bengal and arrest its steady decline in the state, the CPI(M) leadership has decided to field several young candidates in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Sources in the CPI(M) state committee said that the focus on youth may also result in several senior leaders such as incumbent State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra not contesting the Assembly elections this time.
They further revealed that the emphasis will be on young candidates and fresh faces who have come up through students’ and youth movements.
“Student leaders such as Aishie Ghosh — who came into prominence through movements at the JNU — and Dipshita Dhar, national Joint Secretary of the SFI are likely to make it to the candidate list,” a senior CPI(M) leader said.
He also said that SFI leader Madhuja Sen Roy, who contested from the Tollygunge constituency in the 2016 Assembly elections, is also expected to be given a party ticket.
Shatarup Ghosh, another young CPI(M) leader, is also likely to be fielded. Ghosh was a CPI(M) candidate in the 2011 and 2016 Assembly elections. Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) state secretary Sayandip Mitra could also be fielded this time.
However, Mishra, who will lead the charge for the CPI(M) in the Assembly elections, is likely not to contest the polls this time. He has been a CPI(M) candidate six times between 1996 and 2016 from the Narayangarh Assembly constituency in West Medinipur district. Mishra is the only CPI(M) state secretary after former Chief Minister Jyoti Basu to contest elections.
CPI(M) insiders said that despite the emphasis on youth in terms of candidature, exceptions will be made for experienced leaders of the Legislative party like Sujan Chakraborty, senior MLAs Ashok Bhattacharya, Manas Mukhopadhyay and former MP Md. Salim.
The Left Front is likely to declare its candidate list for the first two phases early next week.