Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency: On Tuesday at 3:15 PM, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to announce the Trinamool Congress candidate list from Kalighat. Ahead of this announcement, intense anxiety regarding the probable list prevails not only within the "Joraful" (Trinamool) family but has also sparked considerable curiosity across the state's political landscape. The greatest intrigue centers on Trinamool's potential counter-move in Nandigram. The BJP has fielded Suvendu Adhikari against Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur; following this, would Trinamool be content with merely fielding a local leader against Suvendu in Nandigram—a strategy that hardly aligns with the temperament of Abhishek?
As this report is being written, Mamata Banerjee is just two hours away from beginning to read out the candidate list from her Kalighat residence. Consequently, there is little room for idle speculation. However—given the immense public interest surrounding the probable list—it is certainly worth offering a few insights.
Finalizing Trinamool's candidate list this time around was no easy task. The party has been in power continuously for 15 years. As a result, there is significant anti-incumbency sentiment—directed not only against the government itself but also, at the local level, against numerous sitting MLAs, ministers, and party leaders. This sentiment is notably more pronounced in urban areas and municipalities compared to rural villages. Taking these factors into account—and guided by extensive surveys—Mamata, Abhishek, and iPAC's Symbion Jain sat down to finalize the list of candidates.
Take Hooghly district, for instance. This district comprises 18 Assembly constituencies. Trinamool is poised to replace its candidates in 50 percent or more of these seats this time around. Trinamool had already lost the seats of Pursurah, Khanakul, Arambagh, and Goghat in the previous election. Beyond these four seats, the likelihood of candidate replacements in Chinsurah, Sreerampur, Chanditala, Uttarpara, and Balagarh is virtually a certainty. There is even considerable doubt as to whether Tapan Dasgupta will receive a fresh nomination for the Saptagram constituency.
It is worth noting here that the renowned singer Iman Chakraborty was approached with a proposal to contest the election from the Uttarpara constituency. However, Iman remained in two minds about entering the electoral fray right up until the very last moment. Furthermore, she was categorically unwilling to contest against her "comrade"—Meenakshi Mukherjee—in Uttarpara. Nevertheless, reports suggest that Trinamool continued its efforts right up to the eleventh hour to persuade her to contest from a different constituency. Speaking of Hooghly, one more point is worth mentioning. It is quite possible that Debangshu Bhattacharya could be fielded as a candidate for the Chinsurah Assembly constituency. Incidentally, the name of footballer Bidesh Bose had also been considered for that very seat. Bidesh currently serves as the MLA for Uluberia East.
Initially, the party had contemplated not fielding many of its veteran MLAs this time around, primarily due to their advanced age. However, in the final analysis—and in numerous instances—it became evident that attempting such changes merely led to an influx of aspirants, creating more complications rather than resolving them. Consequently, figures like Nirmal Ghosh and Madan Mitra are set to receive tickets. Jyotipriya Mallick—who stands accused in the 'ration scam' case—was initially reluctant to contest again from the Habra Assembly constituency. Yet, barring any unforeseen developments, it is highly likely that Jyotipriya—affectionately known as 'Balu'—will indeed be fielded as the candidate from Habra.
Furthermore, while several sitting MLAs are expected to be renominated, their constituencies may undergo surprising reshuffles. For instance, actor Soham Chakraborty, the incumbent MLA for Chandipur in East Medinipur, is reportedly being denied a ticket not only in Medinipur itself but also in any of the neighboring districts. Instead, Soham may be fielded as the candidate for the Karimpur Assembly constituency in Nadia district.
Finally, there remain the names of several prominent leaders and party spokespersons—such as Kunal Ghosh, Ritabrata Banerjee, Arup Chakraborty, Sudip Raha, and others. Unless there is a last-minute shift in strategy, Kunal Ghosh is likely to be fielded as a candidate in a North Kolkata constituency. It would come as no surprise if that seat turns out to be Shyampukur—the constituency currently held by Shashi Panja—given that Shashi Panja's name has not yet appeared on the final voter list and remains under adjudication.
In fact, within North Kolkata, with the exceptions of Nayana Bandyopadhyay's seat in Chowringhee and Atin Ghosh's seat in Kashipur-Belgachia, the constituencies of the incumbent MLAs in the remaining five seats may well be swapped. For the Jorasanko constituency, the chances of the incumbent MLA, Vivek Gupta, securing a ticket are virtually nil. Similarly, Paresh Pal may not be renominated as the candidate for the Beliaghata constituency. In the Entally constituency, Swarnakamal Saha currently serves as the MLA; however, his health has deteriorated significantly. Consequently, his son, Sandipan Saha, may be fielded as the candidate in his stead. Instead of renominating Supti Pandey, the incumbent MLA for Maniktala, her daughter, Shreya Pandey, may be fielded as the candidate. However, there is no certainty as to whether Shreya would be nominated specifically for the Maniktala constituency.
Reports suggest that cricket administrator Biswarup Dey is being considered as a candidate for a seat in North Kolkata. A source close to Kalighat claims that Biswarup's name was recommended by Sourav Ganguly.
Finally, no discussion would be complete without a mention of Tollywood. If, indeed, a new face from the film industry is to be introduced, it is likely to be none other than Param Chatterjee. The specific constituency for which he will be nominated, however, remains a closely guarded secret.