WB Cong wants Chidambaram, Antony for election campaign

P Chidambaram might not be very popular with the Trinamool Congress, but its alliance partner in West Bengal, the Congress, wants the union home minister to campaign for the Assembly polls.

The state unit of the Congress has requested party President Sonia Gandhi to allow Chidambaram to campaign for its candidates. West Bengal goes for a six-phase poll from April 18.

Defence Minister A K Antony, who is busy campaigning in Kerala to oust the Left Democratic Front from power, is expected to visit Bengal — another Left-ruled state — once he is over with the polls in his home state on April 13. Requests for their presence have been forwarded by the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee.

The state leadership is also keen to see Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi campaign extensively for the party in this crucial Assembly poll, where it hopes to topple the 34-year Left Front government. Congress sources said the state units wants the Gandhis to address 17-18 rallies and has requested the Prime Minister to appear in seven to eight rallies.

Congress general secretary in-charge of West Bengal Shakeel Ahmed said Sonia Gandhi will share the dais with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee as part of the alliance strategy for a joint campaign. Among other UPA Cabinet ministers, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Salman Khursheed’s presence have also been sought by the state leadership. Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to campaign in the state after doing the rounds of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.