AICC to take final call on fielding candidate against Mamata Banerjee: Adhir Chowdhury

Kolkata: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday (September 6) said that although he favoured not fielding a candidate against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by-poll, the final decision would be taken by the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

Earlier today, media reports suggested that the party is unlikely to contest the by-poll.

“I had opined that as a gesture of courtesy Congress should not field anyone against the incumbent CM. It was my personal view then. Now that by-election has been announced, we have to think afresh. AICC will take the final call,” Chowdhury was quoted as saying by ANI.

The Election Commission has announced the date for the by-elections for three Assembly constituencies including Bhabanipur, Samsergunj and Jangipur. The voting in these three constituencies will be held on September 30 and counting is scheduled for October 3.

The TMC has announced that the party chief Banerjee would contest from Bhabanipur seat. She had lost to BJP’s Suvendu Adhiakri in Nandigram in the recently concluded polls.

Notably, Banerjee recently met Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi where they emphasized on Opposition unity to take on the BJP. 

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