West Bengal: CPI(M) extends support to Congress in Malda-South seat

By Joymala Bagchi
Malda (West Bengal) [India], Apr 21 (ANI): CPI(M) on Sunday said that it will extend support to Congress in West Bengal's Malda South Lok Sabha seat after deciding not to put up a candidate from there.
Veteran Congress leader Abu Haseem Khan Chaudhury is contesting from the Malda-South constituency.
CPI(M), however, has fielded Biswanath Ghosh against Congress's candidate and Abu Haseem's son Isha Khan Choudhary for the Malda North seat.
According to CPI(M) sources, the two parties had earlier agreed to not oppose each other on six seats in the state. However, Congress later fielded its candidates from Raigunj and Murshidabad seats.
"The idea of not opposing each other was initiated by our party, hence, unlike them, we kept our promise. We want a secular government in the state," CPI(M)'s Malda district secretary Ambar Mitra said, adding that the Left Front felt these constituencies should not go either to BJP or TMC.
The party will also extend support to Congress in the Berhampore constituency, from where Adir Ranjan Chowdhury is seeking re-election to Lok Sabha.
BJP candidate from Malda North constituency, Shreerupa Mitra Chowdhury, said, "Most of the CPI(M) leaders have either shifted to BJP or TMC. As far as Congress is concerned, Ghani Khan Choudhury was a stalwart but now his entire family is contesting under his name."
"In a broader perspective, 'pariwarwad' politics (dynasty politics) has been rejected by people of India at every level, be it regional or national," Shreerupa added.
Malda district comprises two Lok Sabha constituencies - Malda South and Malda North, which will go to polls in the third phase, scheduled on April 23. (ANI)