WB Cong leader writes to Sonia Gandhi to extend support for TMC candidate in Kharagpur by-poll

Congress Legislative Party leader in West Bengal Assembly, Abdul Mannan has written to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi suggesting that the party should support TMC candidate for the November 25 by-election for Kharagpur Assembly seat.

In a letter to Gandhi, Mannan stated: "at this moment our organisational capacity is very poor at Kharagpur due to defection of a large number of Congress workers and leaders after the sad demise of our veteran MLA and leader Gyan Singh Sohanpal".

"Therefore, in this situation, I would suggest that to prevent BJP we should support TMC candidate at Kharagpur Sadar Assembly seat," he added in his letter dated October 25.

He stated that he had discussed with Left Front leadership regarding Kaliaganj seat and it agreed to support Congress candidate at Kaliaganj to prevent BJP.

"And in Karimpur seat where the Left Front is much stronger than us we would support the Left Front candidate to prevent BJP," Mannan wrote.

The Election Commission had on October 25 announced that by-elections to fill four vacancies in state legislative assemblies of Uttarakhand and West Bengal will be held on November 25.

Presently, there is one vacancy in Uttarakhand - Pithoragarh and three vacancies in West Bengal - Kaliaganj, Karimpur and Kharagpur Sadar which need to be filled.

The last to file the nominations for the assembly by-elections is November 6, 2019 and the last date of withdrawal of candidatures is November 11, 2019.

Counting of votes will take place on November 28.