Bengal: Congress to contest 2 bypolls in Raiganj, Bagdah; back CPM in 2 seats

The West Bengal Congress announced on Saturday that it will contest two out of the four bypolls scheduled in West Bengal on 10 July, and support the CPI(M) candidates in the remaining two seats.

A senior state Congress leader said that the party has decided to field candidates in Raiganj in North Dinajpur district, and Bagdah in North 24-Parganas district, while the CPI(M) will contest the bypolls at Ranaghat Dakshin in Nadia district and Maniktala in Kolkata.

Incidentally, on Friday night, the Left Front issued a statement announcing the names of the CPI(M) candidates for Ranaghat Dakshin and Maniktala, and a nominee from the front ally All India Forward Bloc for Bagdah.

Now, the Congress’ decision to field its candidate from Bagdah will mean that the Congress-Left Front alliance will not be taking shape in Bagdah.

“While the other allies in the Left Front have always been open about seat-sharing talks with us, Forward Bloc is the only ally that has gone against it. In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Forward Bloc fielded its candidate against the Congress in Cooch Behar. So this time we have decided to field our candidate from Bagdah as well,” the state Congress leader said.