TMC candidates Shatrughan Sinha, Babul Supriyo file nominations for by-polls in Bengal

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress candidates Shatrughan Sinha and Babul Supriyo on Monday filed their nominations for by-polls to a Lok Sabha and an assembly seat to be held on April 12 in West Bengal.

Sinha has been fielded for by-election to the Asansol Lok Sabha constituency, while Supriyo was nominated for the Ballygunge Assembly seat.

Speaking to reporters after filing his nomination at Alipore Survey Building, Supriyo said, "I am thankful to 'Didi' (TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee) for giving me this opportunity to contest from the presitigious Ballygunge constituency. I am really honoured and accept the challenge."

The bypoll to Asansol was necessitated as Supriyo resigned as the BJP MP after joining the TMC in September last year. The Ballygunge Assembly seat is going for polls as incumbent MLA and state minister Subrata Mukherjee died in November 2021.

Sinha, a former BJP leader, filed his nomination at the office of the district magistrate of Paschim Bardhaman.

The actor-turned-politician had Sunday taken a jibe at the BJP for labelling him as an outsider, wondering what the saffron party makes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi contesting from Varanasi. "If for national figures like the PM, contesting the Lok Sabha polls from anywhere is accepted, then the same holds true for me as well," he had said.

By-polls to the Asansol Lok Sabha constituency and the Ballygunje assembly seat will be held on April 12, and votes will be counted on April 16.