Meet this independent example of Cong-CPM bonding in Bengal

[related-post]

Ghosh is contesting as an independent candidate, backed by the Left Front, against Trinamool Congress minister Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury in English Bazar, Malda. It is a bastion of the Congress, which is not fielding a candidate.

No formal announcement has been made on an alliance between the CPM and the Congress, and leaders of both parties have made it clear that there will be no “seat sharing”. But on the ground, district units of the two parties have drawn up their own localised agreements, unofficially.

“This constituency is actually an anti-Left bastion. I will be backed by the Left and am also backed by the Congress,” Ghosh said.

“We are backing Ghosh but he is not our candidate,” agreed CPM district secretary Ambar Mitra. “We are not fielding a candidate from English Bazar. We have to be strategic.’’

The Congress too acknowledged the unofficial understanding. “It is true that the CPM when in power committed atrocities on our Congress workers. That we will never forget,” said Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury, MP and brother of Malda’s late leader A B A Ghani Khan Choudhury. “But I feel the present government is worse. When you went to Buddhadeb, he would at least lend you an ear. Mamata Banerjee doesn’t even meet us. This government needs to go. We would ideally not fight alongside the CPM but… upay ki. What is the alternative?”

Krishnendu Chowdhury, meanwhile, has built himself a plush office in his large house in the heart of English Bazar. The Trinamool candidate’s office has large pictures of Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and a smaller black & white photograph of Indira with a young Sonia and Rahul and Priyanka as children. A picture on one wall shows Kridnendu with A B A Ghani Khan Choudhury. On the desk is a framed photograph of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

“It’s never easy to tell with confidence if someone will win or lose, so I will not say that I will win for sure. But I am confident,’’ he said, before rushing off to a meeting, one of several during the day.

Krishnendu is a lawyer and said he still practises. Ghosh is currently a councillor.

“I am well known in the area for the work I have done through various contracts and also for my social work. So I have no doubt that I will defeat Krishnendu,” Ghosh said.

Ghosh’s political career had begun in 2000, ironically with Krishnendu. “Krishnendu was in the Congress then and was standing for an election. I was already popular in the area and we are distantly related. So he approached me for help. And I agreed. I would go campaigning door to door with him,’’said Ghosh.

A voter arrived to invite Ghosh and his family to a wedding. An elderly woman followed, seeking help on a government form. Ghosh attended to both.

“I have always been an independent candidate. So I will not represent a party as I feel that this would betray my voters’ trust,” Ghosh said. “Besides, I stand for everyone and all ideologies. If you are a Left supporter you can vote for me, if you are a Congress supporter you can vote for me, even if you are a BJP supporter you can vote for me.”

The BJP, which has fielded actor Suman Banerjee, acknowledges Ghosh. “Nihar Ghosh is very popular and in several elections in the past, including a municipal election, he has defeated Krishnendu. It will be difficult to beat him this year,’’ said BJP district secretary Ajoy Ganguly. “Besides,” Ganguly added, “Nihar Ghosh will get all the Ghosh votes in the constituency.”