Gaurav Biswas, the husband of former BJP councillor Tista Biswas who died in a road accident in October, threw his hat in the ring as an independent candidate from ward 86 for the Calcutta Municipal Corporation polls.

The nomination has come as an embarrassment for the BJP that named Rajarshi Lahiri as the candidate from ward 86 on Monday.

“I’m very very hurt. I had sent my resume to the party for the nomination. Everything was almost sure. Then at the last moment, my name was replaced,” Gaurav told The Telegraph.

“I don’t even wish to stay as a councillor forever. I just want to finish the unfinished work of my wife and hence, I’ve filed my nomination,” he added.

Tista had represented ward 86 at the CMC. She was one of the seven councillors who had won in the 2015 CMC polls on BJP tickets.

Sources in the BJP said Gaurav was the first choice for nomination and they were surprised when Lahiri’s name had been announced on Monday.

Asked why Gaurav wasn’t fielded, state BJP vice-president and the in-charge of the committee to oversee the CMC polls, Pratap Banerjee, said he was unwell.

“If I was unwell, why would I send my CV to them? The change has been done by a few persons who want to help the Trinamul Congress win from the ward,” Gaurav said.

State BJP leaders have, however, tried to put up a brave face.

Chief spokesperson of the party, Samik Bhattacharya, said: “He (Gaurav) is traumatised by the personal loss.… He is too emotional at the moment. Everything will be sorted out in a few days and we are with him.”

Chandra Sekhar Basotia, a BJP worker for 27 years, was expelled from the party on Tuesday. Basotia was an aspirant for a ticket from ward 41 of the CMC, but the party didn’t field him.

However, according to Basotia, he had sent his resignation to the state general secretary (organisation), Amitava Chakraborty, through WhatsApp on Monday itself.