Cong loss is CPM gain in South Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, April 17: The Congress candidate for South Malda Mr AH Khan Choudhury is being criticised for several things including non-utilisation of MPLAD funds.

Apart from CPI-M supporters, a group of Congress workers too are criticising Mr AH Khan Choudhury for not utilising MPLAD funds in the past year. This issue seems to have gone to the advantage of the CPI-M candidate for South Malda, Dr Abdur Razzaque who has been bringing this up in all public meetings.

“Congress workers are asking their MP where they were in the last two years. He does not even receive calls from people when they are in need,” he said.

It has been reported that in many block areas, Congress supporters are not happy with Mr AH Khan's performance. In fact, residents of Malda complained that no development work was initiated during the tenure of Mr AH Khan Choudhury in the last two and half years , after he was elected as MP following the death of his elder brother, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, the former Malda MP.

Till today, voters remember ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, for all that he did for the people of Malda. An electric crematorium at Saudullahapur in English Bazaar for Hindus and a graveyard for Muslims in English Bazaar town, set up just before the last Lok Sabha elections, deserve mention.

When contacted, Mr AH Khan Choudhury said: “Yes, I do not receive all phone calls. Everybody knows my cell phone number and they ‘disturb’ me with small matters and issues”.

Faction feud

The AICC observer, Mr Intekhab Alam today said that a team of local Congress leaders would inquire into the allegation that followers of Dr AH Khan Choudhury were indulging in anti-party activities in North Malda parliamentary constituency against the Congress candidate Miss Mausam Noor.

Speaking to the reporters at Congress party office today, Mr Alam said that if found guilty, action would be taken against the concerned people.

Mr Alam came to Malda to resolve disputes after receiving complaints that a section of Congress workers were not cooperating with Miss Mausam Noor for campaigning ever since she was chosen to contest the elections as candidate for North Malda.

Mr Alam also expressed happiness over work done by party workers in the two parliamentary seats and was confident that the Congress candidates will win both the seats in Malda.