KOLKATA: The CPI-M-led Left Front on Monday announced its first list of candidates for 192 out of 294 assembly constituencies for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. The second list for the remaining 102 constituencies is expected within three to four days.
The first list features a mix of young leaders and seasoned party veterans. Among the prominent young nominees are Minakshi Mukherjee from Uttarpara, Kalatan Dasgupta from Panihati, Sayandeep Mitra from Baranagar, Debojyoti Das from Khardah, advocate Sayan Banerjee from Maheshtala, Dipsita Dhar from Dum Dum North, Saptashi Deb from Rajarhat New Town, and Mayukh Biswas from Dum Dum.
Senior leaders nominated include outgoing CPI-M Rajya Sabha MP and advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, Manas Mukherjee and Debolina Hembrom. Bhattacharya will contest from the Jadavpur Assembly seat in southern Kolkata, a former CPI-M stronghold.
Minakshi Mukherjee, a CPI-M Central Committee member and one of the party’s most recognisable young faces, has been fielded from Uttarpara in Hooghly district, alongside student leader Dipsita Dhar from Dum Dum North. Kalatan Dasgupta, who was previously arrested during the RG Kar movement, will contest from Panihati, an area associated with the tragic case of a young medical student who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August 2024.
Biman Bose, Left Front chairman, said the remaining candidates will be announced within three to four days as seat-sharing discussions among allies are finalised.
The announcements follow the Election Commission of India declaring a two-phase polling schedule in West Bengal, with voting on April 23 and April 29, and counting on May 4. With both the Left Front and BJP revealing substantial portions of their candidate lists, the electoral contest in the state is now fully underway. The ruling Trinamool Congress is expected to release its list on March 17.
“CPI-M is optimistic about its prospects in the forthcoming elections,” said Md Salim, state secretary of the party.
In the first list, CPI-M has nominated 140 candidates, while allies Forward Bloc (FB) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) have 21 and 13 candidates respectively. Another ally, CPI, has 16 nominees.
The Left Front has also nominated Sabina Yasmin from Kaliganj in Nadia district. She is the mother of six-year-old Tamanna, who was killed in a bomb blast allegedly hurled from a Trinamool Congress victory rally during the Kaliganj by-election last June.