LOK SABHA ELECTION

PA Sangma to compensate Bangshi's absence in campaign

COOCH BEHAR, April 26: Among the ten candidates contesting in Cooch Behar (SC) Parliamentary constituency, Mr Bangshi Badan Barman of the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) is the lone one who failed to appear in person during his electioneering. The leaders of his party are campaigning on behalf of him. Mr Barman is staying behind the bars as he is an undertrial prisoner and seven cases are running against him at different courts.

General secretary of the GCDP Mr Phanindra Nath Barman said they tried their best to get the candidate released on bail to do the campaign but the bail plea has been rejected at the High Court on Friday. The court however ordered that the trial against Mr Barman should be completed by one-and-half months. If it was not completed by that period the bail petition may be considered by the court, the GCDP general secretary claimed.

On the otherhand, an eminent leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Mr PA Sangma is to address two election meetings in favour of the GCDP candidate. The NCP already expressed its support to the GCDP. Mr Sangma will address a GCDP meeting at Baromaricha of Sitalkuchi in Mathabhanga tomorrow. On the next day he will address a similar meeting at Chakchaka near Cooch Behar town, according to the GCDP president Mr Ashutosh Barma.

The GCDP president said they have been conducting canvassing by rickshaw-vans and street corner meetings. They are busy in organising small group meetings and door-to-door campaigns at villages instead of large meetings. The activists of the NCP and the KPP are also helping them. "We are expecting to yield a good result as the grass root level workers and supporters of other political parties are coming forward to support our candidate. Support to our candidate means support to our demands like formation of a separate state and recognition of our mother-tongue", the GCDP leader said.