MP'S love for brother draws flak from Opp

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 19: Several Congress leaders in Malda today criticised the Malda MP and district congress president, Mr A H Khan Choudhury, for his decision to submit a panel of four probable Lok Sabha candidates before Mrs Sonia Gandhi that included his brother, Mr A N Khan Choudhury (alias Lebu).

The other candidates suggested were Miss Mausam Benazir Noor, newly elected MLA from Sujapur, Mrs Sabitri Mitra, MLA Araidanga and former district president and Mr Samar Mukherjee, former MLA from Ratua. Mr Krishnendu Choudhury was incredulous at the Malda MPs nepotistic decision. “What is Mr A N Khan Choudhury's contribution to politics or the Congress party? He had contested against the late A B A Ghani Khan Choudhrury while in league with the CPI-M. We will be answerable if the party selects him as a candidate for the North Malda seat". Mr Choudhury also pointed out: “A Hindu candidate is must for the North Malda Lok Sabha seat. The Bangladeshi refugees living in Bamongola, Habibpur, Gazole and Old Malda constitute a huge number of voters in the constituency. Selecting a Muslim candidate will be the wrong decision”. Many leaders have objected to this decision, terming it ‘undemocratic'. They said: “No resolution was adopted before preparing the panel, neither from the block nor the district level. In the absence of Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, minister of Information and Broadcasting, due to his prolonged illness, the district Congress president feels he can follow his every desire. A section of block Congress presidents had proposed A N Khan Choudhury as a Lok Sabha candidate without holding any meeting”, they disclosed.

Mr Goutam Chakraborty, former Congress MLA of English Bazaar and Sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad, had recently expressed his willingness to join Trinamul Congress to contest from North Malda. He said: “Where is the district president's plan to invite Dr Manmohan Singh to contest from North Malda? The Malda Congress had hurriedly made the panel when they were informed I would join Trinamul”.

Mr Suresh Behani, another district committee member and close aide to Mr and Mrs Das Munshi, said: “I would send my bio-data through the proper channel to the Congress high command, seeking a ticket to contest for the North Malda seat”. Sources say Mrs Munshi is monitoring the developments in North Malda and will be recommending a list of candidates from North Bengal, including North Malda, through West Bengal PCC.

As for the other proposed candidates, Mrs Sabitri Mitra was baffled at being put forward without her permission. Mr Samar Mukherjee, a close aid of Mr Pranab Mukherjee, was also perplexed: "Why did they include my name? I'm not interested in contending for North Malda. I will be busy working for Mr Pranab Mukherjee and his constituency".