West Bengal Assembly Election

Fates of candidates sealed in strong rooms

The fate of all the 62 candidates of nine Assembly segments of Cooch Behar district are now lying inside sealed strong rooms. There are five such strong rooms in the district.

The EVMs of Cooch Behar Uttar and Cooch Behar Dakshin have been kept in strong rooms at Cooch Behar Polytechnic. The EVMs of Mekhliganj segment has been kept in strong rooms at Mekhliganj High School, EVMs of Mathabhanga and Sitalkuchi segments are at Mathabhanga High School, EVMs of Dinhata and Sitai are at Dinhata College and EVMs of Tufanganj and Natabari have been kept at Tufanganj College. Jawans of paramilitary forces are keeping strict vigil on the strong rooms. The seals of the rooms will be removed on 13 May.

On Monday, about 84 percent voters have exercised their franchise at nine Assembly segments in Cooch Behar district. The total number of voters is 17,86,912.  The nine Assembly segments are Mekhliganj, Mathabhanga, Sitalkuchi, Cooch Behar Uttar, Cooch Behar Dakshin, Dinhata, Sitai, Tufanganj and Natabari. Though the actual contest was held between Left Front sponsored candidates and Congress-Trinamul alliance sponsored candidates, there are a few 'disturbing' factors too. These factors are the suspended Sitai MLA Dr Fazle Haque (an independent candidate at Dinhata), the ousted Trinamul MLA from Dinhata, Mr Ashok Mandal, the ousted Trinamul leader Mr Sunil Ray (an independent candidate at Mekhliganj) and certainly the BJP. The people are waiting eagerly to know the fate of the candidates that is to be known on 13 May. 

West Bengal Assembly Election

State food and supply minister cum a Forward Bloc candidate, Mr Paresh Adhikary appears as a voter at a polling booth in Mekhliganj of Cooch Behar.

West Bengal Assembly Election

Where ferryboat is the lone mode of transport

The polling personnel had to go to their concerned polling booth by foot along alluvial land of a river and by boat. The booth is situated at Fersabari village under Tufanganj-II block in Cooch Behar district. There are about 400 voters at the village. The Raidak river has encircled this tiny village and so ferryboat service is the lone transport facility there for the villagers. The villagers have been demanding construction of a bridge for a long but no one came out to lend ears. Now, the polling personnel have to cross the river by boat and they have to go on foot along the alluvial land to reach their destination.

Not only Fersabari, there are three other booths in Tufanganj-II block that are encircled by the Ridak river. The polling personnel had to make an additional journey of about 45-kilometre there through Assam. These booths are at Chhoto Salbari, Rampur and Bhanukumari.  

As the area is close to the Bengal-Assam border additional security measures have been taken to ensure peaceful election. Paramilitary forces have been deployed to maintain peace and ensure free and fair poll. 

West Bengal Assembly Election

Ousted Congress MLA from Sitai, Dr Fazle Haque and ousted Trinamul Congress MLA from Dinhata, Mr Ashok Mandal jointly busy in electioneering at Dinhata on Saturday. Dr Haque is an independent candidate at Dinhata from where Mr Mandal won in 2006.

West Bengal Assembly Election

Stage set for the grand show in Cooch Behar

The stage is ready for the final performance of the high

drama. Leaders of different political parties are now busy in repairing the loopholes that were somehow ignored during their electioneering in the past days. They are instructing their activists and supporters what tactics to be practiced on the poll day till end of polling. The administration and the police authorities are also very busy as they are entrusted to conduct the grand show a faultless one. Otherwise, the party leaders and also the EC officials may hold them responsible for any breach of peace and fair polling.

In Cooch Behar district, there are nine Assembly segments in five sub-divisions. These are Mekhliganj, Mathabhanga, Sitalkuchi, Cooch Behar Uttar, Cooch Behar Dakshin, Dinhata, Sitai, Natabari and Tufanganj. Out of nine seats the Trinamul Congress and the Congress snatched two seats – Dinhata and Siati – in the 2006 election. This time the Left Front took it a challenge to regain the lost seats.

Meanwhile, the Trinamul Congress gave away its lone winning seat (Dinhata) to the NCP and expelled its sitting MLA Mr Ashok Mandal. The Congress MLA from Sitai Dr Fazle Haque appeared at Dinhata to contest as an independent candidate. His party too expelled him. Expulsion of two opposition MLAs added extra dimension to the political scenario. The Trinamul Congress also expelled its Mekhliganj block unit president Mr Sunil Ray as he turned rebel and fielded himself as an independent candidate against the official Congress candidate Mr Jayanta Ray.

On the otherhand, the CPI-M and the Forward Bloc are fighting to retain their seats and regain the lost two seats. Among the heavyweight candidates of the LF there are two ministers - Mr Ananta Ray (CPI-M) and Mr Paresh Adhikary (FB), Mr Udayan Guha (FB) and Mr Tamser Ali (CPI-M). 

BJP bid to fish in disturbed water

Political scenario in Cooch Behar district is very disturbed. There is infighting inside the Trinamul Congress and also inside the Congress. A large section of Trinamul Congress activists is not supporting the Congress-Trinamul Congress alliance candidate at Dinhata and Mekhliganj. The Congress is also suffering from similar situation. A section of the Congress supporters came out to support the rebel Trinamul candidate at Mekhliganj and the rebel Congress candidate at Dinhata. The difference between the district Youth Congress leadership and the official lobby of the district Congress is well known to all.

The BJP is trying hard to fish in the disturbed political water. They brought heavyweight leaders to campaign in Cooch Behar district. Among the leaders there were Gujarat chief minister Mr Narendra Modi, noted film actress Ms Hema Malini, Mr Arun Jaitley, Mr Shahnawas Hossain and state BJP president Mr Rahul Sinha. Promising to build up a clean government and corruption-free administration the BJP is campaigning against the CPI-M led Left Front and the proponents of the 'change'. According to the BJP leaders the CPI-M and the Trinamul Congress are similar in every respect like corruption and hooliganism. Only the BJP can present a better alternative in the state, they argued.   

Local political observers felt that the honeymoon between the BJP and the Trinamul Congress at different panchayat bodies has ended up at Tufanganj. The BJP is now trying to take revenge by spearheading sharp attacks on the Trinamul Congress. Their actual aim is to ensure defeat of the Trinamul Congress candidates.

West Bengal Assembly Election

Brinda Karat held police responsible for CPM-Trinamul clash

CPI-M polit-bureau member Ms Brinda Karat alleged that the attack made on the CPI-M supporters that occurred at Natabari on Friday afternoon was a pre-planned one. As the people are not with them the hopeless Trinamul Congress had to attack on CPI-M supporters armed with stones and sticks, she said. At the same time she alleged that there was lack of adequate security measures and she conveyed the matter to the Election Commission and the district magistrate and SP of Cooch Behar. On Saturday morning when she was talking with reporters at the district CPI-M office, the district unit secretary Mr Chandi Pal, Cooch Behar MP (Rajya Sabha) Mr Tarini Ray and the outgoing MLA of Natabari Mr Tamser Ali too held the police responsible as they failed to arrange adequate security measures at Natabari on Friday during Ms Karat's meeting.

After the press conference Ms Karat attended a mass meeting at Baneswar in Cooch Behar this morning. Here too she spoke about the Natabari incident and came down heavily on the Trinamul Congress. 

It may be mentioned here that a clash occurred between CPI-M and Trinamul Congress supporters at Natabari on Friday afternoon. About fifty persons including media persons have been injured. CPI-M polit-bureau member Ms Brinda Karat herself lodged a complaint to the police against Trinamul's hooliganism.

Ms Karat was present at a CPI-M organised meeting at Chilakhana High School ground to campaign in favour of the outgoing MLA Mr Tamser Ali. Mr Ali alleged that Trinamul goons threw stones on the CPI-M procession that was going to attend the meeting. In the attack many party supporters got injured. How the Trinamul Congress took out a procession at the vicinity of a CPI-M election meeting, he questioned. 

On the otherhand, district Trinamul Congress president cum the party's candidate from Natabari Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh alleged that CPI-M activists were the first that attacked their party office, blazed it and assaulted their supporters.

Photographer of a Kolkata based Bengali daily said when he was taking pictures of the attack on the Trinamul office some miscreants beat him up. With head injury he is now under treatment at private hospital in Cooch Behar.

Heavy contingent of police force and fire brigade men rushed to the spot and controlled the situation. About fifty persons were injured in the melee. The meeting was postponed following the incident.

Senior police officials claimed that the situation is now under control. No person has been arrested till now.

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CPM-Trinamul clash in presence of Brinda Karat, 50 hurt

A clash occurred between CPI-M and Trinamul Congress supporters at Natabari on Friday afternoon. About fifty persons including media persons have been injured. CPI-M polit-bureau member Ms Brinda Karat herself lodged a complaint to the police against Trinamul's hooliganism.

Ms Karat was present at a CPI-M organised meeting at Chilakhana High School ground to campaign in favour of the outgoing MLA Mr Tamser Ali. Mr Ali alleged that Trinamul goons threw stones on the CPI-M procession that was going to attend the meeting. In the attack many party supporters got injured. How the Trinamul Congress took out a procession at the vicinity of a CPI-M election meeting, he questioned.

On the otherhand, district Trinamul Congress president cum the party's candidate from Natabari Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh alleged that CPI-M activists attacked their party office, blazed it and assaulted their supporters.

Heavy contingent of police force and fire brigade men rushed to the spot and controlled the situation. About fifty persons were injured in the melee. The meeting was postponed following the incident.

Senior police officials claimed that the situation is now under control. No person has been arrested till now. Meanwhile, Ms Karat called a press meet on Saturday morning to brief the reporters over the matter.

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Tough contest likely at Cooch Behar Dakshin segment

The outgoing Forward Bloc MLA from (Cooch Behar West) Mr Akshoy Thakur is contesting from the Cooch Behar Dakshin Assembly segment. After delimitation the name of the segment has changed and Cooch Behar town came under it. A secretary of the state Trinamul Congress Mr Abdul Jalil Ahmed is his main rival here. Mr Thakur is also a secretariat member of the state Forward Bloc.

Since 2001, Mr Thakur is contesting in the Assembly elections. He has no belief in the so-called 'wind of change'. He said, "There exists no such wind of change and I am not worry about it. I am working for the cause of the people for a long and I believe that the common people are with us."

But, it was observed that Cooch Behar town is not in favour of the leftists for the past many years. Will not it pose a problem for Mr Thakur to retain his seat? Mr Thakur said twenty wards of the town are new to him but many other areas are as before. As a man of work it may not pose any problem to him, he hopes.

The Trinamul Congress candidate Mr Abdul Jalil Ahmed is a senior lawyer. He is hopeful about his victory because the leaders and activists of different groups of the Congress and the Trinamul Congress are working together for him. The two parties are jointly governing the civic body. Its chairman Mr Biren Kundu (Congress) and vice-chairman Ms Amina Ahmed (Trinamul Congress) are campaigning in favour of him. Incidentally, Ms Ahmed is his better-half. Ms Mamata Banerjee made the electioneering easier by addressing a recent meeting in the town, he said. As the people want a change he has every possibility to win, Mr Ahmed hopes.

West Bengal Assembly Election

PCC chief warns dummy candidates

PCC chief Dr Manas Bhuinya made it clear that they will take measures against the dummy candidates who are contesting in the Assembly election by ignoring the official stance of the Congress. On Wednesday Dr Bhuinya came to Cooch Behar district to campaign in favour of the Congress candidate Mr Jayanta Ray at Mekhliganj. At the same time he called upon the Trinamul Congress leadership to take similar actions against the dummy candidates of that party.

The PCC chief hoped that the people of the state are in favour of a change of the government and that change is coming soon as they would vote against the tyrannical rule of the Left Front government. He alleged that the Left Front run government has failed to cater well to the people and it failed to do any development of the state.

Mekhliganj is the one of the two Assembly segments in Cooch Behar that the Congress got chance to field a candidate. The other seat it got is Sitai.

In Mekhliganj a Trinamul Congress leader Mr Sunil Ray is contesting as an independent candidate with active support of many local Congress and Trinamul Congress leaders and activists. A section of the Congress supporters are aggrieved with the official candidate because they wanted Mr Mrintyunjay Singha Sarakar as the candidate. On the otherhand, local Trinamul supporters wanted the seat for a Trinamul Congress candidate. Angry at the decisions of their concerned parties they came out jointly to support Mr Sunil Ray. His party however expelled him from the party for his disobedience of party decisions.

After Dr Bhuinya's warning it is expected that a few local Congress leaders may also face punitive measures due to their activities in favour of the rebel Trinamul candidate.

West Bengal Assembly Election

Mamata Banerjee at Mathabhanga and Dinhata during her electioneering. 

West Bengal Assembly Election

Mamata expels MLA at Dinhata

The Trinamul Congress has expelled its outgoing MLA from Dinhata Mr Ashok Mandal. Party supremo Ms Mamata Banerjee announced this decision in her address at Dinhata on Wednesday.  She was at Dinhata during her electioneering in favour of alliance candidates in Cooch Behar district. Mr Mandal is the lone MLA of the Trinamul Congress who got elected from Dinhata in 2006.

As Mr Mandal was found absent in the mass meeting at Samhati Maidan in Dinhata, Ms Banerjee turned angry and announced the decision over expulsion of Mr Mandal. She explained that the party can take such decision suo-motto. At the same time she made an appeal to the independent candidate Dr Fazle Haque to withdraw his candidature.

When contacted, Mr Mandal said he is in Siliguri as his elder sister is seriously ill. He alleged that Ms Banerjee is running the party whimsically. He feels that the expected 'change' will not take place at Dinhata by leaving the winning seat to the NCP. The security deposit may also be forfeited, he believes. Mr Mandal said he will consider of his joining to any other party after discussing the matter with his colleagues.

Mentionworthy, the Trinamul Congress offered the Dinhata seat to the NCP by replacing it with its outgoing MLA Mr Ashok Mandal. Following this Mr Mandal and many Trinamul activists got aggrieved. Meanwhile, the outgoing Congress MLA from Sitai Dr Fazle Haque announced his decision to contest from Dinhata as an independent candidate. Following party norms he got suspended automatically, he told reporters. At Dinhata many Congress and Trinamul Congress leaders and activists came out to support him. Following this development the decision to expel the lone MLA turned local political observers stunned because till now Mr Mandal was not found to campaign in favour of Dr Haque or against the NCP candidate. 

West Bengal Assembly Election

A Congress candidate fights against a MP

The Congress candidate of Sitai Assembly constituency Mr Keshab Ray feels that his fight is not against the Forward Bloc candidate Mr Dipak Ray, but against that party's MP Mr Nripendra Nath Ray.

Thus he explains the matter – a resident of Sitai, Mr Nripendra Nath Ray was the FB candidate against the Congress candidate Dr Fazle Haque at Sitai in 2006. Dr Haque defeated the FB candidate then. In 2009, the FB nominated Mr Nripendra Nath Ray as its candidate in Cooch Behar Lok Sabha constituency and he won. So, Mr Kesab Ray considers him as his de-facto rival.

The Congress candidate claimed that he enjoys blessings from the outgoing Congress MLA of Siati, Dr Fazle Haque. "I am not contesting here as a singular man, I am a candidate of the Congress-Trinamul Congress alliance and it is my strength", he said.

Mr Ray is a follower of the Congress since his student life. He is confident about victory. Making the long awaited bridge over Singimari river will be his first job after getting elected from Sitai, he promised. This bridge is very necessary to connect Dinhata with Sitai, he feels. Different political parties used the bridge issue only to woo the local voters during all the past elections but they did nothing to make it a reality, he said. The people of Sitai are suffering from lack of electricity, as the state government did not implement the Central scheme on rural electrification here. "It will be my duty to eradicate darkness from Sitai", he said.

Mr Kesab Ray, a teacher in profession, said, a wind of change is blowing over the state and the people of Sitai are also to follow the suit by pulling down the leftists from the seat of power. "There exists no controversy over my candidature and I am sure of victory as the supporters of the Congress and the Trinamul Congress are working here jointly", he claimed.

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A candidate extraordinary

Mr Krishna Kanto Barman is the sole candidate of the New Bengal Forum of India. He is the founder of the NBFI and contesting from Cooch Behar Dakshin Assembly segment with 'a pair of candles'.

In 2009 the Party for Democratic Socialism (PDS) fielded him in Cooch Behar Lok Sabha constituency. In Cooch Behar he is known as a colourful man of politics for his spectacular activities.

Mr Barman admitted that there was no atmosphere of politics in his family at Sitai. But he entered politics through the SFI during his college days. As a SFI activist he came closer to the CPI-M but left the party's association due to the practice of corruption by the leaders. Later, he joined the PDS and acted as its secretary of Cooch Behar district unit. He said, "I was a member of the nine-member secretariat of the PDS. But I had to leave the party as it appeared to me that nothing was going on there as it should be."

Why are you contesting this time in the Assembly election? Mr Barman said the proponents of the Greater Cooch Behar state are secessionists. They want formation of a new state but without development the people will get nothing from division of Bengal. "I want an autonomous council for all out development of Cooch Behar. By this council Cooch Behar will get better facilities from the funds to be allocated by the state and Central governments. A large number of unemployed youths go to seek jobs to outer provinces regularly. This should be stopped. We also want restoration of the railway facility by which it was possible to go to Kolkata within seven hours. We also want improvement of health service facilities in Cooch Behar."

Mr Krishna Kanto Barman is confident about coming out with a good result. "Please wait till the release of election result and see what the NBFI did", he said confidently.

Mentionworthy, Mr Barman is an impresario. He owns a farm named North Bengal Film Institute. He also engaged in a business of event management. He selected Cooch Behar Dakshin segment for contest, as he is detached from his home place Sitai for the last five years and resides in Cooch Behar town, he explained. "I shall get more votes from the town than from Sitai", he hoped. 

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A segment free from Trinamul's intra-party squabbles

Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar district is the rare one Assembly segment where all sections of the Trinamul Congress leaders and followers are united.

The local Trinamul leaders and activists had to fight to get a local candidate and they won. They had to organise a stir to get Mr Binay Krishna Barman as their candidate and they won. Now it is up to the Trinamul men to get the candidate come out victorious. They believe Mr Barman would be able to defeat the CPI-M candidate cum state forest minister Mr Ananta Ray, who won from Mathabhanga in 2006.

Mr Binay Krishna Barman contested against Mr Ananta Ray in the previous election. Mr Ray was not a minister then. Now, Mr Barman feels that it will be a matter of pleasure to defeat a Left Front minister. He is working hard to get the thing done.

The Trinamul candidate said, "In the 2009 Lok Sabha election in Cooch Behar the Trinamul Congress was in advanced position by about 1400 votes at Mathabhanga segment. After that election the organisational strength of our party turned stronger and many Left Front supporters flooded into our party. Now, it is very much possible that the CPI-M may wipe out from here and we are to win the seat."

Mr Barman alleged that after winning from Mathabhanga Mr Ananta Ray seldom visited this constituency in the past four years. He started coming to this area again after getting signal from his party about his candidature, he said.

But, Mr Ray brought approvals for two colleges to be set up at Ghoksadanga and Nishiganj. Will not it a plus point for him to woo the voters? Mr Barman was not found ready to agree with it. He said the minister brought NOCs only, but it is not clear where the colleges would be build up, from where the furniture and other materials come and how the required funds would be collected. It is nothing but a poll stunt, the Trinamul leader said. Instead, "I shall give emphasis on better irrigation facilities, covered market areas for growers and agriculture based industries after getting elected from Mathabhanga", he promised.

WEST BENGAL ASSEMBLY ELECTION

Janata Dal fields four candidates in North Bengal

State unit president of the Janata Dal (United) Mr Amitava Dutta is coming to Cooch Behar to campaign in favour of the party's candidate at Dinhata. Mr Dutta will attend a workers' meet and a rally at Dinhata on Monday in support of Mr Narayan Barman. Mr Barman is contesting with Arrow symbol. In the party workers and activists' meet Mr Dutta will discuss the present political scenario and the stance of the party. 

JD (U) general secretary Mr Ashok Das said their four candidates in North Bengal are : Mr Narayan Barman (Dinhata), Adhir Singha (Siliguri), Mr Hem Ranjan Mandal (Karandighi) and Mr Manjur Ellahi Munsi (Baishnabnagar). Mr Das claimed that the organisational strength of JD (U) is better than before in those Assembly constituencies and so they have decided to field candidates.

Political sources in Cooch Behar said a section of the proponents of a separate Greater Cooch Behar state has extended their support to the JD (U) at Dinhata and so the JD (U) candidate Mr Barman may bag considerable number of votes there. 

Trinamul expels its rebel candidate at Mekhliganj

The Trinamul Congress has expelled its rebel leader Mr Sunil Ray, who is the Mekhliganj block unit president of the party. Mr Ray committed a crime by fielding himself as an independent candidate at Mekhliganj segment and so he was punished.

Mr Ray however said that the party leadership did what they considered good. "I think I am a loyal Trinamul soldier and I will continue to be so because I am a follower of Miss Mamata Banerjee's ideals", he said. "After the election, If my party wants I shall go back into the party again", he added.

Confirming the expulsion of Mr Ray, the district unit president of the Trinamul Congress Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh said Mr Ray was expelled for defying party's decision. The activists who are accompanying Mr Ray may also face punitive measures, Mr Ghosh warned. 

Mentionworthy, the Mekhliganj seat was allotted to the Congress but Mr Sunil Ray appeared there to contest when he and his followers failed to convince the party leadership to keep the seat, as the Trinamul candidate was the second position holder in the previous election. The party leadership ignored the appeal and offered the seat to the Congress. Following the development the local Trinamul Congress activists fielded Mr Ray as an independent candidate. A large number of Congressmen are also supporting him, as they are dissatisfied over their official candidate.

Earlier, the outgoing MLA of Sitai Dr Fazle Haque got suspended from the Congress as he fielded himself at Dinhata as an independent candidate. A senior AICC member Dr Haque made it clear that he got suspended automatically from the Congress when he submitted his nomination paper as an independent candidate.

Dr Haque's followers wanted the Dinhata seat for the Congress but the Trinamul Congress gave it to the NCP. Angry with the decision many local Congress leaders and activists came out to support him. Aggrieved local Trinamul activists also extended their support to him following the party's decision to offer its sole winning seat to another party.

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Rebel Trinamul man contests at Mekhliganj

Mr Sunil Ray is the president of Mekhliganj block unit of the Trinamul Congress. He was ranked second in the 2006 election against the Forward Bloc candidate, Mr Paresh Adhikary. This time too his main rival is Mr Adhikary, who is the state food and supply minister.

A large section of local Trinamul activists wanted the Mekhliganj seat for the Trinamul Congress to contest but it was allotted to the Congress. According to alliance norms the second position holder should get the opportunity to contest but their appeal was ignored. Aggrieved with the decision they fielded Mr Sunil Ray to contest.

On the otherhand, a large section of Congress supporters wanted Mr Mrityunjay Singha Sarkar as candidate but the party fielded Mr Jayanta Ray as the official candidate. The district Youth Congress too talked in favour of Mr Singh a Sarkar.

Aggrieved with the decisions of their concerned parties local Congress and Trinamul Congress supporters came out to support Mr Sunil Ray.

"I am contesting to honour the sentiment of local Trinamul Congress and Congress supporters. Till now I don't know what measures would be taken by my party leadership", Mr Ray said. He contested two times previously - in 1996 as a Congress candidate and in 2006 as a Trinamul candidate.

Mr Ray was associated with Tinbigha movement since 1974. "I will continue my movement for the greater interest of the people of bordering areas", he vowed.

Replying a question over probable disciplinary action against him he said, "If I win I must go to take the side of my party as I am a follower of Miss Mamata Banerjee's ideal. I think they will review and consider my case as a member of their family." 

District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh said, "We conveyed reports over Mr Sunil Ray to the party leadership and they are to take decisions. We are just followers of our party leadership, not decision makers."

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Dr Fazle Haque is centre of attraction in Cooch Behar

Once he was an stringent opponent of legendary Forward Bloc leader Kamal Guha. Now he is fighting against the son of Kamal Guha, Mr Udayan Guha. But he not ready to admit that his fight is against the Guhas. It is against the Left Front, he declared. He is now the centre of attraction in the political scenario of Cooch Behar as he turned an independent candidate at Dinhata though he is the outgoing Congress MLA from Sitai.

Dr Fazle Haque is actually a doctor. He has been engaged in medical practice since 1965. As a doctor he earned a reputation especially among rural people.

Dr Haque said he entered into politics dated back in 1967 after passing out the medical examination. From then on he contested nine times and won six times. He also tasted the minister-ship, as he was once a state minister in Home department.

Apart from this time he became an independent candidate in 1996. Late Kamal Guha was then the leader of Socialist Forward Bloc. As a candidate at Sitai he earned the SFB's support. "Again I am contesting as an independent candidate at Dinhata and the people of Dinhata are to support me", he claimed.

Dr Haque is an AICC member and he is also in the PCC. He knows that by contesting as an independent candidate he violated party rules and automatically got suspended from the party. But he believes that after winning the seat the party may reconsider his case as they did on an earlier occasion.

The veteran Congress leader is in the opposition group of the official district Congress leadership but enjoys support from the district Youth Congress unit. According to the declared account of assets he is the richest candidate among all the candidates in Cooch Behar district.

What's the reason behind his decision to contest from Dinhata leaving Sitai from where he won in the previous election? Dr Haque said the Sitai seat turned reserved this time and so he chooses Dinhata. But as Dinhata was offered to the NCP by the Congress-Trinamul Congress alliance he had left with no alternative than to contest as an independent candidate, he explained 

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Ananta Roy feels no wind of change at Mathabhanga

State forest minister Mr Ananta Roy feels no 'wind of change' blowing over Mathabhanga. He won from Mathabhanga Assembly segment in 2006 and this time too he expects a good result.

Mr Roy said those who talked about the so-called 'wind of change' felt the situation after the previous three-tier panchayat elections. In that election the Trinamul Congress won in several places but widespread corruption, violence and illegal grabbing of lands made them dissociated from the people of concerned areas. "Maintaining of peace is our main issue in this election. At the same time we are promising of development like water supply and construction of roads", he said.

Denying the allegation against him that he is an outsider at Mathabhanga as he is a resident of Cooch Behar-II block, Mr Roy said he is no outsider. He is a resident of Cooch Behar district and the people of Mathabhanga voted in his favour in the previous election too. It is nothing but a worthless allegation brought forward by the Trinamul Congress, he said.

The Trinamul Congress also alleged that he seldom visited the constituency from where he won. Replying this allegation Mr Roy claimed that it was a baseless allegation. "I came here as and when required but the local Trinamul Congress leaders tried their best to create troubles. They organised me black flag demonstrations several times but I still enjoy the support of local peace-loving people", he explained.

In his counter allegation the outgoing MLA of Mathabhanga, Mr Ananta Roy said the Trinamul Congress is in power at six Gram Panchayats in Mathabhanga but large-scale corruption is the only thing that they are practising in those areas.

He also denied that he was a failure as a forest minister. He claimed that as the minister his liability is not limited in Mathabhanga only. He is liable to do well for the people at everywhere in the state. Bringing of NOCs for setting up of two colleges at Ghoksadanga and Nishiganj are among the best achievements during his tenure, he claimed.

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05-04-2011 > E-Mail 2

62 candidates to contest for nine seats

The picture is now clear. Sixty-two persons are to contest from nine Assembly segments in Cooch Behar district. Mr Dhirendra Nath Das of the NCP has withdrawn his nomination on Monday.

Among the candidates four are of the CPI-M and five are of the Forward Bloc The Trinamul Congress has fielded six candidates, the Congress two candidates and the Nationalist Congress Party has fielded one candidate. Among the small parties there are PDCI, SUCI and Amra Bangalee. Eleven candidates from such small parties are to contest at different segments. There are twenty purely independent candidates also in the fray.

Among the independent candidates one is the outgoing Congress MLA from Sitai Dr Fazle Haque who is contesting from Dinhata. His main rival is Forward Bloc's Mr Udayan Guha. An eminent Trinamul Congress leader Mr Sunil Roy is contesting at Mekhliganj against a Congress candidate Mr Jayanta Roy and a Left Front minister Mr Paresh Adhikary.   

Official sources said the number of voters in Cooch Behar district is 17,89,056. The number of male voters is 9,43,834 and the number of female voters is 8,45,222. Jawans of Central forces are to be deployed at the polling booths.

Cooch Behar DM Ms Smaraki Mahapatra said adequate arrangements would be taken to make the polling process free, fair and peaceful.

WEST BENGAL ASSEMBLY ELECTION

Aggrieved NCP leader supports rebel Congress candidate

The outgoing Congress MLA of Sitai Dr Fazle Haque failed to get approval from his party to contest from Dinhata segment. The Trinamul Congress gifted the seat to the Nationalist Congress Party. In this context, Dr Haque decided to contest from Dinhata as an independent candidate. He submitted three nomination papers including one as a NCP candidate.

On the otherhand, the NCP has fielded its state unit president Mr Amiyo Sarkar as its candidate. A secretary of the party, Mr Dhirendra Nath Das too submitted nomination.

At the end, Dr Haque remains as an independent only as he failed to get approval from the NCP. Mr Das too failed to convince his party over his own candidature and withdrew his candidature on Monday.

Now, an aggrieved Mr Das joined hands with Dr Haque and announced his support to the veteran Congress leader.

Criticising the NCP leadership, Mr Das said the people of Dinhata want a candidate against the Left Front candidate and Dr Haque is the candidate of the stature that can fight against the LF candidate. "We will support him at Dinhata as Mr Amiyo Sarkar is an out comer here", he said.

Dr Haque claimed that he might be able to enjoy support from a large section of local leaders and supporters of the Congress, the Trinamul Congress, the NCP, the Forward Bloc, the CPI-M and some other parties.

On the otherhand, the official NCP candidate Mr Amiyo Sarkar said Mr Das is no more a man of the NCP. Nothing can be changed by any claim made by him. The voters of Dinhata will vote for the NCP candidate as Ms Mamata Banerjee allotted the seat to them. "The people of Dinhata know it well that Ms Banerjee sent me to contest from this seat. We must honour her wish", he added.

It may be mentioned here that Dinhata was the lone Trinamul seat in North Bengal that it won in 2006 election. This time the Trinamul Congress gifted the seat to the NCP replacing its outgoing MLA Mr Ashok Mandal.

WEST BENGAL ASSEMBLY ELECTION

Forward Bloc's ex-MP contests as Trinamul candidate

Former Lok Sabha member Mr Hiten Barman won as a Left Front sponsored Forward Bloc candidate. In 2009 his party replaced him with another candidate, Mr Nripendra Nath Roy. Annoyed with the decision of the party leadership he got himself dissociated with the Forward Bloc. Later he was removed from the party. As he failed to take decision hastily to join the Trinamul Congress it also failed to offer him candidature to the Lok Sabha seat then. Now, Mr Barman appeared in the scenario again and he is contesting from Sitalkuchi Assembly segment, which was once a CPI-M den.

Mr Barman was once a loyal soldier of the legendary Forward Bloc leader, Kamal Guha. Now, his loyalty is to the Trinamul Supremo Ms Mamata Banerjee. In the Trinamul Congress he is a vice-president. 

Mr Barman said the Trinamul Congress is an actual believer of leftist ideology. At Singur and Nandigram it sided itself with the peasants and the Left Front had protected the Tatas. Mere bearing of red flags cannot make one a leftist. "I left the Forward Bloc due to difference of ideology and I am now campaigning against under development during the LF rule", he said.

He admitted that problems rose among the local leaders and supporters of the Trinamul Congress after announcement of his name as a candidate. Such things happen everywhere and here too it cooled down. Supporters of all sections of the party are now working jointly against the CPI-M candidate, he claimed.

Mr Barman said he was involved in the movement demanding formation of Uttar Banga Unnayan Parshad. During the LF regime nothing was done to improve the UBUP and so North Bengal is still an underdeveloped region. After formation of the Trinamul-led state government he will engage himself in improving the UBUP, he promised.

The former FB MP said the CPI-M already admitted its defeat and so they fielded a new candidate at Sitalkuchi. The outgoing CPI-M MLA Mr Harish Barman was an unsuccessful man as he failed to bring good to the people of the area, the Trinamul leader added.

West Bengal Assembly Election

Main issue is a long awaited bridge over Singimari at Sitai

The fight at Sitai in Cooch Behar district is confined between two teachers. They are the Congress candidate Mr Keshab Roy and the Forward Bloc candidate Mr Dipak Roy. A veteran Congress leader Dr Fazle Haque won from Sitai segment in 2006. This time the Forward Bloc is trying its best to recover their lost seat and the Congress is also trying hard to retain the seat.

In 2006, Dr Haque defeated Mr Nripen Roy of the Forward Bloc by 4895 votes. He got 72,184 votes. In 2006, the number of voters was 1,83,112 and this time it is 2,08,971.

The FB candidate Mr Dipak Roy is highlighting the necessity of the long awaited bridge over Singimari river. The work may have started if the election was not declared, he claims. After formation of the eighth Left Front government the construction of the proposed bridge will start, he assured.

It may be mentioned here that the bridge is very essential to connect Dinhata with Sitai as hundreds of people have to cross the river by ferryboats round the year. The problem turns worse during the monsoon months. The bridge issue comes up before each and every election and the leaders made it a habit to throw promises about its construction.

When the FB candidate Mr Dipak Roy is making promises to build up the bridge, the Congress candidate Mr Keshab Roy is criticising the leftists for not doing anything in their regime. He said the Left Front failed to construct the bridge in its past 34-year rule. The leftists laid the foundation of the bridge on 22 February 2009 but failed to start its construction yet. After pulling down the LF government from the seat of power the Trinamul-led state government will build the bridge, he hoped.

On the otherhand, the FB candidate said a LF minister laid the foundation and it will be also be constructed under the eighth LF government, he claimed. 

West Bengal Assembly Election

Congress may take action against rebel MLA

Is the rebel Congress leader Dr Fazle Haque expects to be an official candidate of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)? With such a hope hidden in his heart he submitted a nomination as a NCP candidate on Thursday. He however filed two additional nominations as independent candidate.

Dr Fazle Haque is a veteran Congress leader. He is an AICC member too. Once he was in the ministry of the then chief minister Siddhartha Sankar Ray. In the Assembly election of 2006 he won from Sitai. This time he was willing to contest from Dinhata, as the Sitai seat gone reserved. Failing to get the ticket from his party he decided to contest as an independent candidate with support of a large section of aggrieved Congress supporters and Trinamul Congress supporters. The Youth Congress also came out to support him. Meanwhile the Trinamul Congress gifted the Dinhata seat to its ally NCP. Two separate claimants of that party already filed nomination papers there. On Thursday, Mr Haque submitted three nominations – two as independent candidates and one as a NCP candidate.

Mr Haque said, he knows that his membership from the AICC got cancelled soon after filing of the nomination paper as independent candidate as his membership from the party gets suspended for six years. He also said that if the NCP allots him its Clock symbol he will contest as a NCP candidate. Otherwise he will contest as an independent as he decided earlier.

On the otherhand, PCC president Dr Manas Bhuiyan told over phone that he was yet to get reports about the candidature of Mr Haque. "We will wait till withdrawal of the nomination papers. If he stays in the poll fray as a candidate then measures may be taken against him", he added. District Congress leadership said as Mr Haque is an AICC member they cannot take any action against him. It is upto the high command, they clarified. 

PRIMARY EDUCATION

A school is running under a tree for the past eleven years. The tiny students of '188-Kharija Gopalpur Nagra Barman Netaji Vidyapith' are learning their lessons under a mango tree round the year at 188-Kharija Gopalpur village under Jamaldah Gram Panchayat in Mekhliganj block. In winter it is not so hard to study under the mango tree but during the ensuing monsoon months it will be tough as it was in previous years.

The school was established in September 2000. Since its establishment the classes are running under the open sky. The only shelter is a mango tree adjacent to the Bhandani temple in that village. Villagers said the District Primary School Council ignored the necessity to construct a school building following controversies over naming of the school. DPSC sources however preferred to make no comment.

There are 58 students and three teachers including a headmaster. The school is under Mekhliganj circle of the DPSC. As there is no school building there exists no toilet facility too. The mid-day meal scheme is yet to launch here. The students get uncooked rice only. The teachers have to keep the school's educational accessories in neighbouring residences.

The headmaster of the school, Mr Swapan Kumar Sinha said they made appeals to the chairman of the DPSC and the district magistrate several times to erect a building of the school but nothing was done till now. He however admitted that a fund was allotted for construction of the building but a controversy over naming of the school halted the initiative to construct the building. Meanwhile, the number of students has decreased from 120 to 58.

Secretary of the Village Education Committee, Mr Pradip Barman said they have been assured of official approvals for construction of buildings for a higher primary school and a primary school. After receiving of the required approval they will start construction of the school building, he said.