Aspirants file papers in six districts

A Morcha rally ahead of the submission of nomination papers by Amar Rai
in Darjeeling on Tuesday.(Suman Tamang)

TT, March 22: Former Trinamul leader and the sahakari sabhadhipati of Alipurduar zilla parishad, Atul Suba, who wanted to contest the Kalchini seat as an Independent could not file his nomination today as his paper work could not be completed within the stipulated time.

Suba, who distanced himself from Trinamul after the party named Wilson Champramary for the seat, said he would file his papers on Thursday.

Today was the first day of submitting the papers for candidates contesting in seats that would vote on April 17.

The last date of filing nominations is March 29.

Several candidates from the six north Bengal districts where polling would be held on April 17 submitted their nominations today.

Cooch Behar district will vote on May 5.

Nihar Ghosh, the Independent backed by the Left and the Congress from Englishbazar seat in Malda, Satyen Roy and Bulu Chik Baraik, Trinamul candidates from Gangarampur in South Dinajpur district and Malbazar in Jalpaiguri, respectively, and three candidates of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha filed their nominations.

In Alipurduar, Atul Suba arrived at the local subdivisional officer's office, along with 300-odd supporters, to submit his papers as an Independent from the Kalchini seat.

Suba had accused Trinamul of betrayal after he had been denied a party ticket.

He reached the SDO's office around 11.30am, met an advocate and collected his nomination form. But it took time to finish the paper works and he could not submit the nomination today.

"There was some delay in arranging the papers. It is not a major issue. I have decided to file the nominations on Thursday," Suba said.

The timing to submit the papers is from 11am to 3pm.

Suba said he had been cheated by some party leaders. "I have no qualms against Mamata Banerjee. But leaders like Mukul Roy and Sourav Chakraborty have cheated me. They had assured me that I would be the candidate in Kalchini this time but another person (Wilson Champramary) was selected. I have left the party in protest and I will contest as an Independent," he said.

Suba's comment has put the district Trinamul leaders in an awkward position and some of them refused to comment on the issue.

Sourav Chakraborty, the Alipurduar district Trinamul president and the party candidate for Alipurduar seat, said: "Who is Atul Suba? I don't know anybody by that name."

In Malda, a joint rally of the Left Front and the Congress led by Nihar Ghosh started from the district CPM office around 1pm and headed for the district collectorate, where Ghosh filed his nomination for the Englishbazar seat.

Trinamul has fielded sitting MLA and state horticulture minister Krishnendu Chowdhury for the seat. The BJP has nominated actor Suman Banerjee.

"The state government and the civic body have failed to meet the aspirations of the common people. There hasn't been any major development in the district in the past five years and instead, people have lost their jobs," Ghosh said. "There is no proper drinking water supply and no arrangement for disposal of garbage. The town is facing traffic congestion. These are the local issues which we are mentioning in our campaign, along with state-level issues," he added.

Morcha nominees Amar Singh Rai, Rohit Sharma and Sarita Rai of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, respectively, filed their nominations today. "Sarita Rai is yet to file her affidavit, which can be submitted till the last date of filing nominations," a source said.