The publication of the second list of Lok Sabha nominees by the BJP central leadership on Sunday night came as a relief for party workers in Jalpaiguri, where sitting MP Jayanta Roy, a doctor, was fielded for the second time.
Elections would be held in Jalpaiguri on April 19, in the first of the seven-phase general election.
Roy made it in the nick of time as he has only two days after Holi — March 26 and 27 — to file his nomination papers.
“His nomination is a major relief for us. Finally, the party has announced the candidate. Many of us were apprehensive because of the delay, particularly because we had won the seat in 2019,” said a BJP leader.
“Since last night (Sunday), we've started groundwork. Each party worker is in full campaign mode. We don’t have even a month left for the polls,” the leader added.
Trinamul has fielded Nirmal Chandra Roy from the Jalpaiguri seat. Roy won the Dhupguri bypoll last year.
Debraj Barman, a young CPM leader, is in the fray too.
Change for Debasree
BJP leaders and workers in Raiganj, where elections will be held on April 26 — in the second phase — will campaign for Kartik Pal, a Trinamul turncoat and a former civic chairman. Pal has replaced sitting MP Debasree Chaudhuri.
For Debasree, the BJP high command has chosen Kolkata South.
In north Bengal, where BJP had won seven of eight LS seats, the party has changed two candidates and sitting MPs — John Barla in Alipurduar and Debasree in Raiganj.
However, unlike Barla who has been dropped, the Raiganj MP has fared better and been sent to contest from another constituency.
“There was some disgruntlement within the rank and file of BJP in North Dinajpur, who questioned the visibility of the MP (Debasree). Also, a section of dissidents demanded a son or daughter of the soil as the party nominee. It seems the BJP central leadership understood the situation and chose a local candidate,” said a political observer.
Debasree, BJP insiders said, had insisted on Raiganj.
“However, she was given a clear missive that her only option was to contest from Kolkata South. Eventually, she had to fall in line,” said a party functionary.
