What: Ward 6 of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation is easily the most high-profile fight this time.
Why: It is where former CPM minister Asok Bhattacharya will take on Arup Ratan Ghosh, the Darjeeling district chief of the INTTUC. Asok is the mayoral face for the CPM. A loss for Asok will be a huge loss of face for the Left.
Where: Mahanandapara, Dangipara, Chanapatty are the areas under ward 6
Voters: 5,749
Earlier polls: In 2009, Ruma Nath of the Congress won this seat, defeating Sutapa Dey of the Left by 373 votes. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Trinamul had polled the maximum votes in this ward
This time: The Congress has again fielded Ruma Nath, the Left Asok. The Trinamul's face is Arup and the BJP's Raju Gupta is in the fray. Three Independents are also in the fray
Demography: A mixed population and people from various economic groups
CPM speaks: Asok Bhattacharya said: "People are enthusiastically responding to us and want me to win from the seat. It is natural that people here have aspirations to see me in the mayor's post because of my long stint as the state minister of municipal affairs and urban development."
He added that this ward was the home to "prominent communists like Charu Majumdar, Souren Bose, Biren Bose and Bidhan Moulik. It is natural that the Left orientation of the voters will help us."
Trinamul counters: Arup Ratan also said the response by voters was "unprecedented and has bolstered my confidence that I will win from the seat". He taunted Asok by saying: "We had never heard earlier that a former minister has to contest for the post of councillor. There is no question of giving any additional importance to him. Let the Left secure majority first. Then only, the question of a mayoral candidate will arise."
