Left, Congress strike civic election deal for Siliguri and Cooch Behar The elections are expected to be held in April

TT , 26.02.20,  Siliguri and Cooch Behar:  Congress and Left leaders in Siliguri and Cooch Behar have finalised a seat-sharing deal for the elections to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and six municipalities in Cooch Behar district.

On Monday evening, Congress and Left leaders held a meeting in Siliguri where it was decided that of the 47 seats at the SMC, the Left will contest 26 and the Congress 15. The elections are expected to be held in April.

Of the Left parties, the RSP, CPI and the Forward Bloc will contest six wards while the CPM will field candidates in the remaining 20.

“A series of meetings was held with Left leaders over seat sharing for the civic poll. It has been decided that we will file nominations in 15 seats,” said Jeevan Majumdar, a general secretary of the Congress’s Darjeeling district.

In north Bengal, the focus of all political parties is on the SMC, the sole civic body where the Left is in power in the state.

While mayor Asok Bhattacharya and the Congress are keen on retaining the SMC, the Trinamul Congress and the BJP are said to be pulling out all stops to win the civic body.

In Cooch Behar, the seat adjustments have been made at all six municipalities, said Congress and Left leaders.

It has been decided that of the 20 seats of Cooch Behar municipality, the Left will contest 15 and the Congress five.

At Tufanganj, the Congress will contest two seats while the Left will contest the remaining 10. At Dinhata, the Left will field candidates in 13 seats and the Congress in three.

The Left and the Congress will field six and five candidates, respectively, in the 11-seat Haldibari municipality.

In Mathabhanga, the Left will contest nine of the 12 seats and Congress three. At Mekhliganj, the Congress will contest three and the Left six.

“We have decided on the seats and are now working on the selection of candidates. Once the notification is issued, we will publish the list of candidates immediately and begin campaigning,” said Ananta Roy, the district CPM secretary of Cooch Behar.