In Nandigram, CPI(M) may bet on sitting MP

The MPs whose seats have been reserved or abolished may not be fielded.

Although the episode at Nandigram, where at least 16 people were killed in police firing over acquisition of land for industry, was the biggest controversy for the current CPI(M)-led administration in West Bengal, the party is likely to renew sitting MP Lakshman Chandra Seth’s nomination for the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The CPI(M)’s Left Front allies had earlier questioned Seth’s role during the Nandigram episode but CPI(M) insiders suggested that the party considered Seth the best candidate from Tamluk — the parliamentary constituency that houses Nandigram.

Recent local polls had yielded dismal results for the Left parties, prompting the CPI(M) leadership to believe that Seth’s charisma might be needed to retain this “difficult” seat. It also wants to signal that it is not on the backfoot over the violence in Nandigram.

The party’s parliamentary committee met in Kolkata on Tuesday to discuss the possible candidates. CPI(M) sources said around nine sitting MPs might be denied nominations due to delimitation, disciplinary action and other factors. The CPI(M) has 42 MPs in the 14th Lok Sabha. Of these, 25 are from West Bengal. The party is expecting to contest 32 seats in West Bengal. MPs whose seats have been reserved or abolished due to delimitation may not get tickets from other seats. They include Anil Basu (Arambagh), Minati Sen (Jalpaiguri), Sunil Khan (Durgapur), Abu Ayes Mondol (Katwa), Sudhangshu Seal (Kolkata North West).

In Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee’s Bolpur constituency, the party may move Ram Chandra Dome, the MP from the neighbouring Birbhum seat. While Chatterjee was expelled from the party last year, the seat has been declared reserved. Alokesh Das, another MP facing punishment, will not get ticket.

Md Salim, who currently represents the Kolkata North East seat, will be the party’s candidate from the redrawn North Kolkata seat. The party is likely to recast Robin Deb, a popular leader, against Trinamool Congress chief and its numero uno contender Mamata Banerjee. Deb was fielded against Banerjee in 2004 and was able to reduce her winning margin considerably.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee may be able to breathe easy because the CPI(M) has decided to nominate a Hindu candidate, Riganko Mukherjee, against him. Mukherjee’s Jangipur seat’s more than 40 per cent population is Muslim.

In West Bengal, the CPI(M) and other Left parties will field candidates as the unanimous choice of the state’s Left Front. A meeting of the Left Front has been convened on March 3 to finalise the list of candidates. The four Left parties are likely to announce the names of the candidates soon after the meeting.