BJP-Trinamul spat before by-poll

Statesman News Service

MALDA Aug. 24: The relationship between the BJP and the Trinamul Congress seemed to be deteriorating over the issue of the nomination of NDA candidates prior to the Malda Lok Sabha by-poll, political sources said today. Political observers say that there is a possible breach in the NDA alliance between the BJP and the Trinamul Congress in West Bengal over this issue. Addressing a Press conference in Malda today, the state BJP president, Mr Tathagata Roy, said: “I have discussed the issue in detail with the Trinamul supremo, Miss Mamata Banerjee over the phone, but I am not in a position to disclose details of the discussion now. I will speak about the finalisation of our candidate for Malda by-poll after attending a meeting in New Delhi tomorrow.” Mr Roy added that he was not in a position to declare the name of the BJP candidate officially as he had been waiting for an approval from the party’s central leadership. The Trinamul Congress has already approached the central leadership of the BJP and Miss Mamata Banerjee insisted on nominating their candidate in Malda by-poll. Miss Mamata Banerjee was determined to nominate a Trinamul Congress candidate here and if the BJP leaders did not agree on that issue, she might quit the NDA alliance, the district BJP leaders said. The Malda BJP has chosen Mr Biswapriya Roy Choudhury as its candidate and the state BJP president, Mr Tathagata Roy, has already recommended his name to the central selection committee for approval. On the other hand, the Malda Trinamul Congress has announced Mr Prakash Singhee as its candidate for Malda by-poll. “The district Trinamul leadership has no right to declare the name of its candidate without an approval from the state NDA alliance,” said Mr Tathagata Roy. In order to retain their grip on Malda, both the Trinamul Congress and the BJP leaders are demanding a Malda Lok Sabha seat here. “The BJP candidates have been contesting here for a long time. In the last three parliamentary elections, the BJP candidates contested for the NDA in Malda. Therefore our claim is more legitimate than theirs,” the state BJP president said. “The Trinamul Congress contested in five Assembly segments under the Malda parliamentary constituency in the last Assembly election. Our demand, therefore, is more legitimate,” said Mr Dulal Sarkar, the district Trinamul Congress chief.