The Left Front has announced the names of its candidates who will be contesting the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad (SMP) elections, while leaving one seat for the Congress.
The Congress has, however, sought three seats. The Left and Congress had trucked an unofficial seat- sharing adjustment during the last three-tier rural elections in the Siliguri Sub-division in 2015. However, none of the parties had left seats for each other officially in the SMP before. The Left had defeated the Trinamul Congress in the top tier (SMP) of the three-tier rural body. It had won 14 of the 22 gram panchayats (lower tier) and all four panchayat samitis–middle tier.
The SMP has nine seats in total. “We have left the number-8 seat of Phansidewa to support the Congress candidate. The Left Front has fielded its candidates in the remaining eight seats. We have already said that the Front will support Congress candidates if we observe their candidates have a better chance to defeat the Trinamul Congress and the BJP.
We are hopeful that the Congress will take positive steps,” said district Left Front convener Jibesh Sarkar here today.
The district Congress (Plains) president, Sankar Malakar, on the other hand, said his party had demanded three seats from the Left.
“Discussions with the Left are on the GP and panchayat samiti seat-sharing. For the SMP, we have sought three seats, though they have said they would leave one seat only. We will declare the names of the candidates for the SMP seats tomorrow,” Mr Malakar said.
Seven CPI-M candidates will contest the SMP, while one seat has been given to the Left Front constituent Forward Bloc. Former SMP sabhadhipati Mani Thapa, district CITU president and district party member Goutam Ghosh, Karunamay Chowdhury, and Badal Sarkar are among the candidates chosen today.