Kolkata, March 17 (IANS) The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday released its first list of candidates, containing 291 names, for the two-phase April elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly and set the scene for a “battle royale” in Bhabanipur constituency in south Kolkata, from where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will contest again.

As per the candidates’ list released by Banerjee, she will be contesting from Bhabanipur this time as well, where she will face the Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari.

On Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced its first list of 144 candidates and nominated Adhikari from his current constituency of Nandigram in East Midnapore district, as well as from Bhabanipur.

This is the second time that Banerjee will be pitted against Adhikari.

Adhikari was elected as a legislator from Nandigram for the second consecutive time in 2021, defeating Banerjee.

Later, Banerjee was elected from Bhabanipur in a by-election and retained the post of Chief Minister for the third consecutive term.

While the Trinamool will be contesting from 291 constituencies, they have spared three assembly constituencies in the North Bengal hills, namely Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong, for their political ally in the hills, Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), founded by Anit Thapa, who is also the Chief Executive of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

At Nandigram, Trinamool fielded erstwhile local BJP leader and also a close confidant of Adhikari, Pabitra Kar, who joined the party just a couple of hours before the Chief Minister released the party candidate’s list.

“This time our candidates will win from at least 226 Assembly constituencies. After the elections, this type of BJP will have no ground in West Bengal,” Banerjee said.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, the Trinamool won 215 seats, while the BJP secured 77 seats. The CPI-M-led Left Front and the All India Secular Front (AISF) had a seat-sharing arrangement in 2021. While AISF managed to win one seat, both the Left Front and the Congress failed to win any seats at all.

This time, the Congress and the Left Front are contesting the elections separately.

On Tuesday, the Chief Minister also gave a note of caution to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I would like to ask the Prime Minister, if you had faith in the people of West Bengal, why he was hurting Bengal’s sentiments. Remember, the people will retaliate in the elections!” she said.

–IANS

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