LS poll: Yusuf Pathan, Mahua Moitra among TMC's 42 candidates
What's the story
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) announced its list of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections on Sunday. TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee revealed the candidates for 42 parliamentary constituencies in the state, which included the likes of top TMC leader Mahua Moitra. Among the new names is former cricketer Yusuf Pathan, who will contest from Baharampur. The party announced its candidate list at a mega public meeting, "Jana Garjan Sabha" at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground.
Other candidates
Abhishek to contest from Diamond Harbour, Moitra from Krishnanagar
Other names on the list are Bengali film actor Dipak Adhikary, who will contest from his usual constituency of Ghatal, and former cricketer Kirti Azad from Bardhaman-Durgapur. Bollywood veteran Shatrughan Sinha will contest from Asansol. Abhishek will contest from Diamond Harbour, while expelled Lok Sabha member Moitra will contest from Krishnanagar. Nusrat Jahan's name, however, appears to have been dropped. She has been replaced by Haji Nurul Islam from Basirhat.
Twitter Post
You can watch the announcement here
জনগর্জন সভা- ব্রিগেড গ্রাউন্ড, ১০ মার্চ, ২০২৪ | Jonogorjon Sabha - Brigade Ground, 10th March, 2024 https://t.co/vev2eq5yjQ
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) March 10, 2024
Bengal polls
No alliance with opposition bloc in Bengal
The announcement makes it clear that there will be no alliance with the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc for the 2024 polls. TMC will also contest solo in Assam, while seat-sharing talks are ongoing in Uttar Pradesh with the Samajwadi Party (SP). The move to go solo is seen as a snub to the Congress, which had days ago said that seat-sharing talks were ongoing. Now, the Congress has hit back after the TMC revealed the list.
Opposition's stand
Congress always wanted INDIA to fight BJP together: Ramesh
In a post on X, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote, "The Indian National Congress has always maintained that such an agreement has to be finalized through negotiations and not by unilateral announcements." "The Indian National Congress has always wanted the INDIA group to fight the BJP together," he added. The TMC reportedly offered the Congress Baharampur and another seat, but when the latter wanted more seats, the Mamata Banerjee-led party decided to go solo.
Mamata's appeal
TMC supremo's appeal to people of Bengal
Ahead of Sunday's mega rally, the TMC supremo took to X (formerly Twitter) and urged the people of Bengal to join the march. "Bengal's patience and courtesy should NOT be mistaken for its weakness. The Bohiragoto Jomidars must be reminded of this on March 10," Mamata tweeted. "The #JonogorjonSabha at Brigade Ground this Sunday will be a historic event on the land that has always fought for its rights," she added.