KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday announced its candidates for the upcoming by-elections in six assembly constituencies in West Bengal. The party has fielded Sangita Roy for the Sitai (SC) seat, Jay Prakash Toppo for Madarihat (ST), Falguni Singhababu for Taldangra, Sujoy Hazra for Medinipur, Sk. Rabiul Islam for Haroa, and Senat Dey for Naihati.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the TMC had secured five of these seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won one. The Sitai seat became vacant after TMC MLA Jagadish Chandra Basunia was elected as a Member of Parliament from Coochbehar, defeating former Union Minister Nisith Pramanik in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
The bypolls for the six assembly seats will be held on 13 November, with the results to be declared on 23 November. The constituencies involved are Sitai (SC), Madarihat (ST), Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, and Taldangra.
Madarihat, a seat in northern West Bengal, was previously held by BJP leader Manoj Tigga, who resigned after being selected as the BJP’s candidate for the Alipurduar Lok Sabha seat, which he later won.
The remaining four constituencies are located in southern West Bengal. The Naihati seat was held by former state minister Partha Bhowmick, who won the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat by defeating BJP candidate and sitting MLA Arjun Singh. The Medinipur seat was vacated when TMC candidate June Malia, who had held the assembly seat, won from the Medinipur Lok Sabha constituency, defeating BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul.
In Haroa, TMC leader Sk Nurul Islam (Haji) served as the MLA until he was elected to Parliament from the Basirhat seat. His election left the Haroa assembly seat vacant, which will now be filled in the upcoming bypolls.
The by-elections are expected to see a contest between the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP as both parties aim to secure these important seats ahead of the next general election.