Union Home Minister Amit Shah releases BJP's manifesto for the Bengal polls, in Kolkata on Sunday. (Express photo by Partha Paul) The BJP on Tuesday announced its final list of candidates contesting in 11 seats for the West Bengal Assembly elections and also changed its candidates in two other constituencies.
Former Chief Economic Advisor Ashok Lahiri, who was earlier taken out from the Alipurduar seat in north Bengal following protests by local leaders, will now contest from Balurghat Assembly seat as a BJP candidate.
Last week, Lahiri was replaced with local leader Suman Kanjilal from the Alipurduar seat.
The party also nominated former Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen (retd) Subrata Saha from the Rashbehari seat in south Kolkata.
It also fielded new candidates from Chowrangee and Kashipur-Belgachia seats in north Kolkata after its earlier nominees had refused to contest the polls.
Sikha Mitra, wife of former state Congress president Somen Mitra, was given a ticket from Chowranghee and Tarun Saha, husband of TMC MLA Mala Saha, was given a ticket from Kashipur-Belgachia. In an embarrassment for the BJP, both Sikha Mitra and Tarun Saha refused to contest the election and said they did not join the party.
Meanwhile, the party also gave nomination to Biswajit Das, who was a TMC MLA from Bongaon (Uttar) and joined the BJP recently. Das will contest from Bagda constituency as a BJP candidate.
Subrata Thakur, brother of BJP MP Santanu Thakur, was given a ticket from Gaighata.
Elections to the 294 assembly seats will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. Votes will be counted on May 2.
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