Ghani Khan still the trump card in polls

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Aug. 22: The Congress is leaving no stone unturned to cash in on the sentimental wave created by the death of the veteran Congress leader, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, in the run up to the Malda Lok Sabha by-poll, scheduled for 16 September. Surprisingly, the late leader’s opponents too are seen harping on the same name during campaigns. Commenting on the effect on the party of the sentimental wave caused by the Congress stalwart’s death on the party, the Congress leader, Mr Soumitra Roy claimed that people would definitely cast votes in favour of the Congress in order to pay their “last respects” to Ghani Khan. The late Ghani Khan Choudhury ruled the roost here from 1980 onwards till his death prior to this year’s Assembly election. Malda is preparing for the by-poll sans the late Congress stalwart, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, for the first time in last 26 years. It was only in 1977 that Ghani Khan did not fight in the parliamentary election. The Malda by-poll now has put a new element to the Congress’s role of protecting late Ghani Khan’s younger brother, Mr Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury. The Malda Congress is reportedly in a trouble to prove its strength without the infallible ‘Barkatda’. The CPI-M has projected a senior leader and the state parliamentary minister, Mr Sailen Sarkar, from the seat, thus throwing a tough challenge to the Congress. PCC leaders, including the information and broadcasting minister, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, are scheduled to arrive here for electioneering. Senior CPI-M leaders from the state, including the chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, are also scheduled to arrive here for poll campaign. Sources said that the CM would address election rallies in Malda on 11 and 12 September. Political observers have, however, stated that the fate of Mr Sailen Sarkar, who was defeated thrice by ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, would depend on the political equation of other parties. Both the BJP and the Trinamul Congress are trying to nominate their candidates here separately. The main contest here would be between the Congress and the CPI-M. The CPI-M candidate, Mr Sailen Sarkar, may get a different kind of sympathy vote for this election for the first time in Ghani Khan Choudhury’s absence, political observers said.