Left’s second list for West Bengal out

In what may come as a minor jolt to the seat adjustments between the Congress and the Left Front, there is likely to be a “friendly contest” in nearly 15 of the 294 seats. This became evident on Thursday after the Left Front released its second list of candidates for the coming Assembly election. About 11 constituencies in Murshidabad, Birbhum and East Midnapore districts, which figured in the Left Front list, were also a part of the Congress list of constituencies which were released on Tuesday. Two constituencies in the districts of Purulia and West Midnapore, which figured in the first Left Front list, also featured in the Congress list of 75 constituencies where the party wanted to field candidates. In addition, the Congress expressed its desire to field candidates in Hariharpara and Domkol seats in Murshidabad, which featured in the first Left Front list, in a bid to have a “friendly fight” with them. However, in a surprise move, the Left Front on Thursday fielded candidates in 6 seats in Murshidabad district (out of which the Congress had won five in 2011), 4 seats in Birbhum district and one in East Midnapore which were a part of the Congress list.

When asked to comment, Left Front chairman Biman Bose said, “It will not have any major impact over the seat adjustment with the Congress.”

Reacting to Mr Bose’s remarks, state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said, “There could be a friendly fight in some seats with them, but the Left must not take the Congress for granted.”

Besides releasing its list of candidates in 84 seats, Mr Bose also announced the names of two RJD and two JDU candidates. Among the 84 candidates, 52 are new faces, 9 are women and 20 are minority candidates. In the first list of candidates, the Left Front had fielded 68 new faces.