West Bengal bypoll: Three-way contest in Kaliganj as Left Front backs Congress candidate

Kolkata, May 31 (IANS) The bypoll for the Kaliganj Assembly constituency in Nadia district of West Bengal is headed for a three-cornered contest, with the CPI(M)-led Left Front deciding to support the Congress candidate for the June 19 election.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Friday evening announced Kabil Uddin Shaikh as its candidate for the bypoll. A senior CPI(M) leader from the party’s state committee said that soon after the announcement, the Left Front allies met and unanimously decided to support Shaikh’s candidature.

Although the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), a constituent of the Left Front, had initially expressed a desire to field its own candidate, Left Front chairman and veteran CPI(M) leader Biman Bose convinced the RSP representative at the meeting to support the Congress nominee.

The BJP is yet to announce its candidate for the seat.

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) had earlier, on May 27, named Alifa Ahmed as its candidate for the bypoll.

Alifa Ahmed, 38, is the daughter of former TMC legislator from Kaliganj, the late Nasiruddin Ahmed, whose sudden death in February this year necessitated the by-election.

Kaliganj is one of five assembly constituencies across four states going to the polls on June 19. The others are Kadi and Visavdar in Gujarat, Ludhiana West in Punjab, and Nilambur in Kerala.

Counting of votes will take place on June 23.

The last date for filing nominations is June 2. Scrutiny will be conducted on June 3, and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 5.

Earlier this week, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, announced that 20 companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) will be deployed in Kaliganj for the bypoll, with the deployment expected to be completed by next week.

--IANS

src/skp