Chakrabarty

Malda, April 18: The Malda district Congress leadership has dropped zilla parishad sabhadhipati Gautam Chakrabarty from the party’s list of candidates in the three-tier panchayat polls next month.

Chakrabarty heads the zilla parishad with the support of the Trinamul Congress and the BJP.

“The Manikchak-I seat from where the sabhadhipati won the last elections has been reserved for women. So we have not included him in the candidates’ list,” said Malda district Congress president Ruby Noor. The candidate for the second seat in the block has also been finalised.

Noor said a section of party members were against fielding Chakrabarty.

“However, if he wants to contest the elections from one of the zilla parishad seats in the Chanchol subdivision, he should talk to Priya Ranjan Das Munshi who as an MP represents the area,” Noor said.

Chakrabarty said he did not want to be a candidate in the panchayat polls this time. “But if the party wants me to contest, I can then consider.”