Can Independent Candidates Create Roadblocks for TMC in Murshidabad?

Murshidabad: The independent candidates could be a roadblock for the ruling Trinamool Congress in the many Assembly seats in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district. Once loyal to the party, a number of leaders have now turned political rivals and contesting elections as independents due to their differences with the official party candidates.

Maidul Islam, former food chairman of the district board of TMC, is now contesting as an independent candidate from the Suti assembly seat. Similarly, Rafika Sultana, former district board member of TMC, is contesting from Jalangi seat as an independent.

Both Maidul and Rafika decided to join the election fray due to their disagreement with the official candidates of the TMC. The TMC has fielded Imani Biswas from Suti and Abdur Razzak from Jalangi.

A section of the TMC workers from Suti are supporting Maidul. He is also likely to get support from many Congress workers. Cotton Block Congress president Alfaz Uddin Biswas has publicly announced to support Maidul as they oppose the Congress party’s decision to field Humayun Reza from the seat.

Rafika has alleged that Abdur Razzak is still in touch with Suvendu Adhikari, a former TMC minister who has now joined BJP. Abdur Razzak, a former CPM leader, was brought to the party by Suvendu Adhikari. Now Razzak still maintains his relationship with Adhikari and does not help the people of Jalangi. Opposing his candidature Rafika decided to fight the election as an independent candidate.

Idris Ali has got the ticket from TMC to contest from Bhagwangola constituency. But local leader Sagir Hossain has been openly opposing his candidature as Ali is from Kolkata.

Abu Taher Khan, the district chairman of TMC said that they were trying to fix all the issues and probably before the polling day things will be sorted out.