Left Front replaces Barasat LS candidate over alleged BJP links

Kolkata: The All India Forward Bloc, an ally of the Left Front in West Bengal, changed its candidate for the Barasat Lok Sabha constituency in North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday.

Forward Bloc had fielded Probir Ghosh as its nominee from Barasat. However, sources in the Left Front said that for the last two days, complaints were received from the district leadership of the party about Ghosh's alleged association with the teachers’ wing of the BJP.

On Wednesday, the Left Front replaced Ghosh with Sanjib Chattopadhyay, the North 24 Parganas district President of the Forward Bloc.

For the last couple of days, a picture had gone viral showing Ghosh going to the state Education Department to submit a deputation along with some members of the BJP teachers’ wing.

As the picture went viral, there was pressure on the Forward Bloc to replace him as the party nominee from Barasat even as Ghosh denied having any links with the teachers’ cell of the BJP.

The Left Front also announced its candidate for the Assembly bypoll at Baranagar in North 24 Parganas district, fielding former CPI-M legislator Tanmay Bhattacharya from the seat.

The by-election was necessitated following the resignation of Trinamool Congress legislator Tapas Roy, who joined the BJP and has been fielded from the Kolkata Uttar Lok Sabha seat.