The Trinamul Congress today announced the names of its candidates who will contest in the ensuing by-elections to six Assembly seats. The names of the candidates were announced after getting approval from the party’s chairperson. Miss Mamata Banerjee. The by-election will be held on 13 November. The last date for filing the nomination is 25 October and the nomination papers will be scrutinized on 28 October, The last date of withdrawal of the candidature in 30 October.

Already 100 companies of central forces have arrived in the city and they would be despatched to the respective places of deployment. The by-elections became necessary after the MLAs representing the constituencies became MPs in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The by-elections will be held in Sitai, Madarihat,Taldangra, Medinipur, Haora and Naihati. Except for Madarihat, from where Manoj Tigga of BJP was elected in the Assembly election, in 2021, the other seats had been won by Trinamul candidates. Mr Tigga is now a BJP MP. Mrs Sangita Roy is contesting on Trinamul Congress ticket in the Sitai by-election. Mr Jay Prakash Toppo is the Trinamul candidate from Madarihat. Falguni Singhababbu is the Trinamul candidate from Taldangra.

The seat was previously held by Mr Arup Chakraborty, who resigned from the seat to contest the Lok Sabha elections. Mr Chakraborty is now the MP from Bankura. Similarly, after actor-turned politician June Malliah, Trinamul Congress MLA from Medinipur contested and won in the Lok Sabha elections, her Assembly seat fell vacant. Mr Sujoy Hazra is the Trinamul Congress candidate from Medinipur Assembly seat. Sheikh Rabiul Islam will be contesting from Haroa in the by-election. The seat fell vacant after Sheikh Nurul Islam resigned and contested from the Basirhat seat in 2024 Lok Sabha election. Islam won the Lok Sabha election, but died recently after a prolonged illness. As such, Basirhat Lok Sabha is also vacant. The bypoll in the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat will be held later. Mr Sanat Dey will be contesting from Naihati on a Trinamul ticket.

The seat fell vacant after the MLA Partha Bhowmick resigned and contested in Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat. Mr Bhowmick is now the MP from Barrackpore. Trinamul Congress is confident of winning all the seats. Political observers said the agitation of the junior doctors demanding justice folowing the death and murder of a post graduate doctor in RG Kar Medical College and hospital on 9 August will have no impact on the by-election. Trinamul Congress is holding Bijaya Sammilani across the districts to strengthen contact with people. Senior party leaders will go to the constituencies to campaign for the candidates.