Major focus on Siliguri mayor, Baichung Bhutia contest

Polling will be held in 45 Assembly constituencies across six North Bengal districts on Sunday. However, all eyes will be on Siliguri. This Assembly seat in Darjeeling district has assumed significance because the contest here will be between veteran CPI(M) leader and mayor of Siliguri Ashok Bhattacharya and former Indian football captain Baichung Bhutia.

Mr Bhattacharya was Siliguri MLA for 34 long years, winning the seats without a break since 1977. In 2011, when the Mamata wave swept away the 34-year-long Left Front rule, Mr Bhattacharya also tasted defeat. However, unlike some other senior party leaders, Mr Bhattacharya bounced back quickly.

He realised that the Trinamul Congress could be defeated if the Opposition forces were brought to one platform. Working on his conviction, Mr Bhattacharya went ahead and forged an unofficial electoral tieup with the Congress before the Siliguri Municipal Corporation election a year ago. His strategy paid rich dividends as the Left Front bagged 23 wards while the Congress got four. The Trinamul Congress received 17. The Left formed the civic board and Mr Bhattacharya became mayor.

His success came as an inspiration to the down-in-the-dumps CPI(M) and Congress. His success mantra was christened “Siliguri Model” which the two eternal political adversaries agreed to emulate in the Assembly election in Bengal to end the Trinamul Congress’ rule. Not only the Congress, but even the RJD, JD(U) and some individuals like Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra who had earned the wrath of the Mamata government, joined the informal, unofficial and unannounced mahajot. “This people’s alliance is giving Mamata Banerjee sleepless nights. If the formula could succeed in Siliguri it will also succeed on the state level. You just wait and watch,” Mr Bhattacharya said.