TMC workers protest over list of candidates for civic body polls

Amid confusion over the list of Trinamool candidates released on Friday for 108 civic body polls, protests broke out across West Bengal in more than 18 districts over the candidate list as party workers expressed displeasure and disgruntlement over ticket distribution. Trinamool has released the candidates’ list for Municipality elections, except for Darjeeling, on Friday. The party was in a tight spot on Saturday with a large number of workers staging protests and confusion over two lists making rounds.The Trinamool workers staged sit-in protests, blocked roads, burnt tyres, and even engaged in scuffles in some parts of the state. Protests continued from last night in East Midnapore, Nadia’s Ranaghat, Gayeshpur, Birbhum, East Burdwan, Barrackpore, Jalpaiguri, North 24 Parganas districts’ Bongaon, Barasat, Bhatpara and Baduria, among other places. Party workers were seen crying in public view. In Burdwan, RAF was deployed to control the situation.Protests were staged in front of Trinamool Minister Akhil Giri’s residence on Saturday throughout the day. “I am the convener of a five-member committee formed to select candidates from East Midnapore. My list was not accepted by the party,” Trinamool Fisheries Minister Akhil Giri told The Economic Times. TMC party workers have been protesting in front of Giri’s house since morning and sought intervention.

Giri wanted to resign as the convener and claimed that people close to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who had joined BJP, are still in the party and have been given tickets. “They still keep in touch with Suvendu Adhikari and pass information to him,” Giri said.Trinamool workers in various districts claimed that the candidates should be withdrawn and replaced by the eligible candidates. Protests were also staged in front of Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra, who said he will try to talk to the party supremo seeking intervention.“Many people protested, demanding a change in the candidate list. I am sending my request to the party leadership. The chairman of the Election Committee, which was formed to select candidates, has resigned,” Mohua Gope, District President, Jalpaiguri told ET.Meanwhile, differences between two candidate lists, released by party secretary-general Partha Chatterjee and President Subrata Bakshi on Friday and the uploaded list on the party website, have created confusion.Trinamool minister and Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim claimed that the candidate list with party President Subrata Bakshi’s signature is the authentic one. “The list was prepared after discussion with the party leaders and opinion of the I-PAC was also sought. The password of the website was misused. The one signed by Subrata Bakshi is genuine and it was prepared after approval of Trinamool Supremo Mamata Banerjee,” Hakim claimed.After protests and confusion over multiple candidate lists, I-PAC sources claimed that they are not responsible for making multiple lists of the candidates for the upcoming civic polls. They also claimed that only one list has been prepared for the civic polls of 108 civic bodies. Opposition was up in arms following the confusion over the candidate list. “The list had multiple editions, each one claiming to be the real one, and there is a clear division between Pishi (Mamata Banerjee) and Bhaipo (nephew Abhisek Banerjee) followers of the party,” former CPI-M MLA and central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said.Reacting to the chaos and protests, BJP National Vice-President Dilip Ghosh there is clash among the top-level leaders to the grassroots levels. “Who is the real leader of the party- Didi or her nephew is the main bone of contention?”