Miffed with CPM,ex-comrade contests on Trinamool ticket

The rift between Chaudhury and the CPM came to the fore after the death of Habibulla in late 90’s. The Burdwan district committee of CPM allegedly grabbed the property of Habibulla,even as a case over the disputed property was sub judice in the Calcutta HC and the Burdwan district court.

Talking to The Indian Express,Chaudhury admitted that property dispute with the CPM led him to join the anti-Left forces. He claimed that the character of the CPM and the Left Front has changed in the last 30 years. Some people infiltrated into the party and maligned its image,he added. Chaudhury claimed that the minorities have been affected across the state by forcible land acquisition. “The Sachar Committee report shows how the minorities have been deprived in the state,” he said.

Chaudhury made up his mind for contesting elections after a discussion with senior Congress leader Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi in September 2008.

Dasmunsi had offered him Birbhum seat,his native place.

Veteran leader Pranab Mukherjee also had a discussion with Chaudhury in this regard. But the situation changed after the Congress and Trinamoool formed an alliance in the state and the latter got the Birbhum seat.

It is learnt that Mukherjee negotiated with Mamata Banerjee for securing a ticket for Chaudhury,who also met the Trinamool chief on March 15,a few hours before she announced her candidate list for Lok Sabha polls. The inclusion of Chaudhury in the Trinamool list has surprised many.

Right now he is striving to strike a chord with voters of Ghatal. He admitted that Gurudas Dasgupta of CPI,sitting MP from Panskura,would be a tough opponent but added that he had not undertaken any development work in the area in the last five years. The Ghatal master plan has not been implemented so far.

Areas like Kespur,once a stronghold of the CPM,have been included in the Ghatal constituency after delimitation. In 2004 LS elections,Dasgupta had defeated the Trinamool candidate from Panskura by nearly 2.80 lakh votes. After delimitation,Panskura constituency has been converted to Ghatal.