The Trinamool Congress (TMC) list for the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal witnessed the exclusion of seven sitting MPs and the inclusion of several fresh faces, notably former cricketer Yusuf Pathan.
Seven incumbent MPs have been removed from the roster, while 16 have been re-nominated. The list includes a total of 12 women candidates.. "I have fielded candidates; some people were dropped. Those who have not been renominated will be accommodated during the assembly polls,” said TMC chief Mamata Banerjee while addressing a massive rally at Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata.
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Big names not part of the list
Nusrat Jahan: The MP represented the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Sandeshkhali is a block under Basirhat constituency. However, amid the Sandeskhali row, the Trinamool fielded Nurul Islam, who represents the Haroa constituency, in place of Nusrat Jahan. She was criticised since she did not visit her constituency even after Sandeshkhali women alleged sexual harassment by Trinamool leaders. The BJP also criticised her for getting time to make reels for Instagram and Facebook during this period.
Mimi Chakraborty: The actor, who won from Jadavpur in South Kolkata in 2019, had already resigned. She said, “politics is not for me” and declared that she does not want to be in the poll fray.
Arjun Singh: He has been often called the “last word” in Barrackpore. The sitting MP returned to Trinamool after being with the BJP for a while. However, according to report, Singh has been allegedly cozying up to BJP MPs and termed his joining Trinamool as “financial loss”.
Adhikaris: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s father Sishir Adhikari and brother Dibyendu Adhikari have also been dropped. They had recently shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and voted along the BJP line in the vice-president’s election.
Debutants this year
Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan will contest from the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat. It is currently held by Mamata Banerjee's critic Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
Gopal Lama, a former bureaucrat will contest from Darjeeling, as he is a “bhumiptra” who has worked there as a bureaucrat.
Prasun Banerjee, IG, Raiganj range, who took voluntary retirement, will contest from North Maldah. The party’s youth president Saayoni Ghosh will contest from Jadavpur While MLA June Maliah will contest from Midnapore. Also, actor Rachana Banerjee has been fielded from Hooghly.
The Trinamool has also formed a media war room ahead of the Lok Sabha elections with 40 speakers for quick rebuttals and media sound bites daily.
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