Priya's clarion call for by-poll

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Sept. 6: The Union I&B and parliamentary affairs minister, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, today urged the Congress workers to work hard for the Malda Lok Sabha bypoll and ensure that the party retains the seat “at any cost”. Addressing a workers’ meeting in favour of the Congress candidate at Old Malda, Mr Das Munshi, said: “Malda, Murshidabad and North Dinajpur districts are the Congress belts, and we will have to win the seat in the interest of the party in the national level. The political equation is changing in West Bengal as well as in the country. I will not disclose everything right now but the Congress will revive in the state by 2011,” the minister said. Meanwhile, the Malda Congress leaders have also approached Mr Rahul Gandhi to campaign here for the Congress candidate, Mr AH Khan Choudhury. Mr Mostaque Alam, a local Congress leader said: “The date for the proposed road show by Mr Rahul Gandhi has so far not been confirmed. Mr Das Munshi will campaign here till 10 September, and will be coming back for the last phase of election campaign. Mr Adhir Choudhury, the Murshidabd MP, has also been campaigning here these days. The Union defence minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, will reach here on 11 September. The Union minister for coal, Mr Sibu Soren, and the Union water resources minister, Mr Saifuddin Soze, have also been urged to campaign here.” The Congress had also tried to rope in Govinda, an MP and Bollywood star, but since he is out of country for shooting, the plan did not materialise, sources said. Mr Masidur Rahman, the chief election agent of the Congress candidate, Mr AH Khan Choudhury, said: “This election is very tough because it is a fight between money and image. Our election agents are receiving phone calls from CPI-M men in the midnight. The callers offer them money so that they can work for the CPI-M.” The CPI-M district secretary, Mr Jiban Moitra, on his part, said: “The Congress leaders are playing defensive. They are worried about election results in absence of the late Ghani Khan Choudhury. Some of them have been demoralised.” The CPI-M today, lodged a complaint with the district election officer against the security personnel, Mr AHE Tessamuddin, a government employee, appointed for the Congress candidate. It was alleged that the security personnel of Mr Choudhury has been campaigning directly in favour of the latter.