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CPI-M gives ticket to expelled CPI man

West Bengal's ruling Left Front led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist has announced its candidates for the by-election to three assembly constituencies, to be held on November 25.

Front chairman Sailen Dasgupta said CPI-M nominee and former Students' Federation of India leader Sujan Chakraborty will contest Baruipur, Bishnu Late (CPI-M) has been nominated for Mayureswar, and former minister Omar Ali (also CPI-M) will stand from Nandanpur.

The by-election to Baruipur constituency in South 24 Parganas district was necessitated because Congress MLA Sobhandev Chattopadhaya vacated it to contest as a Trinamool Congress candidate from Rashbehari in south Calcutta. He won.

The Mayureswar seat in Birbhum district became vacant after CPI-M MLA Dhiren Late became president of the district council.

The Nandanpur seat in Midnapore district became vacant after the death of self-employment generation programme minister Chaya Bera.

Omar Ali is a surprise choice for the CPI-M because he is a new entrant, having been expelled from the CPI in 1996.

Meanwhile, the Trinamul Congress has decided to go in for a "seat adjustment" with the Bharatiya Janata Party, leaving Mayureswar for the saffron party. The two parties had contested the general election earlier this year as allies.

UNI

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