In BJP list for Bengal polls, Union minister Babul Supriyo, several sitting MPs

Bengal elections: BJP national general secretary Arun Singh Sunday announced names of the party’s candidates in 27 seats out of 31 for the third phase, and in 36 seats out of 44 going to polls in the fourth phase.

Rajib Banerjee, bengal assembly elections, BJP list bengal elections, Babul supriyo, locket chatterjee, swapan dasgupta, bengal news, indian express

Rajib Banerjee, after quitting the TMC in January, had claimed that he was forced to do so as a section of party leaders "humiliated him for airing his grievances over their style of functioning". (Express photo: Partha Paul)

The BJP Sunday released its list of candidates for the third and fourth phases of the West Bengal Assembly elections, fielding several sitting MPs and TMC turncoats.

Names in the list include Union minister Babul Supriyo; BJP MPs Locket Chatterjee, Nisith Pramanik and Swapan Dasgupta; and former TMC leaders Rajib Banerjee, Rabindranath Bhattacharya, Prabir Ghoshal and Dipak Haldar. The BJP has also fielded popular Bengali actors Yash Dasgupta, Payel Sarkar and Tanushree Chakraborty, who recently joined the party.

BJP national general secretary Arun Singh announced names of the party’s candidates in 27 seats out of 31 for the third phase, and in 36 seats out of 44 going to polls in the fourth phase.

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“Names for remaining seats in the third and fourth phases will be announced later,” said Singh, during a news conference at BJP headquarters in Delhi.

Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who is an MP from Asansol, will contest from Tollygunge constituency against TMC heavyweight leader and state minister Aroop Biswas. Standing party MP Locket Chatterjee will contest from Chuchura, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta will contest from Tarakeshwar and another MP Nisith Pramanik will contest from Dinhata.

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TMC MLA and face of Singur anti-land-acquisition movement, Rabindranath Bhattacharya, who joined the BJP last week, has been fielded from Singur. Former state minister-turned BJP leader Rajib Banerjee will contest from Domjur, TMC MLA-turned BJP leader Prabir Ghoshal will contest from Uttarpara and TMC MLA-turned BJP leader Dipak Haldar will contest from Diamond Harbour seat.

Bengali actors Yash Dasgupta, Payel Sarkar and Tanushree Chakraborty will contest from Chanditala, Behala Purba and Shyampur constituencies respectively. Television actor Anjana Basu will contest from Sonarpur Dakshin seat.

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Reacting to the BJP’s candidate list, TMC spokesperson and MP Sougata Roy said, “It is clear from the list that the BJP does not have candidates to fight the Assembly polls and that’s why it is relying on its sitting MPs. It has also given tickets to former TMC leaders and MLAs, which sends the same signal. The BJP is struggling to find candidates.”

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