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regular-article-logo Thursday, 09 May 2024

Bengal polls 2021: Two leaders refuse BJP offer to contest

Shikha Mitra, wife of late Soumen Mitra, and Tarun Saha, husband of Mala Saha, were announced as candidates by the saffron party

Our Bureau, Agencies Calcutta Published 18.03.21, 10:09 PM
The BJP announced the names of 148 candidates for the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal on Thursday evening.

The BJP announced the names of 148 candidates for the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal on Thursday evening. Shutterstock

The BJP announced the names of 148 candidates for the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal on Thursday evening but two candidates refused to contest saying they were fielded without their consent.

The two leaders are Shikha Mitra, wife of late Congress leader Somen Mitra, and Tarun Saha, husband of Mala Saha, a sitting Trinamool MLA.

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The BJP named Tarun Saha as its candidate from the Kashipur-Belgachia seat, and Shikha Mitra as candidate from the Chowringhee constituency.

But Mitra said her name was announced without consent and that she will not enter the poll fray. She also downplayed speculations of her joining the BJP, which were doing the rounds following her meeting with saffron party leader and family friend Suvendu Adhikari.

"No, I am not contesting from anywhere. My name has been announced without my consent. Also, I am not joining the BJP," she told reporters.

Her son, Rohan Mitra, shared the video statement on Twitter and hoped that the record was set straight once and for all, adding, "keep my mother out of this rubbish"

Tarun Saha also categorically denied any possibility of him contesting the upcoming assembly elections on a BJP ticket. He told journalists that he is with the TMC and that the BJP named him on its list without even consulting him.

Mala Saha had won the Kashipur-Belgachia seat consistently for the TMC in both the 2011 and 2016 state assembly elections. However, this time, the party fielded Calcutta deputy mayor Atin Ghosh from the seat. It is not yet known if the BJP naming Mala's husband, Tarun, from the seat had any relation to these recent developments.

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