In the wake of the Trinamool Congress unveiling its lineup of candidates for the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, internal discord within the party regarding candidate selection appears to persist.
Aparupa Poddar, a two-term Lok Sabha member from Arambagh constituency in Hooghly District, who was not granted a ticket this time, has indirectly criticized the party's leadership for what she perceives as a focus on financial considerations in candidate selection.
Speaking to the media, Poddar suggested that her lack of substantial financial support might have been a factor in her non-renewal by the party leadership. Although she refrained from naming specific individuals, she pointed fingers at a prominent Lok Sabha member and two ministers hailing from Hooghly District, insinuating their involvement in her exclusion due to her financial circumstances.
Poddar implied that they may have influenced the party leadership against her re-nomination, presenting her financial situation unfavorably. Her entry into parliamentary politics began with a resounding victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, where she triumphed over Arambagh, a CPI(M) stronghold since 1980, with a substantial margin of 3.46 lakh votes. However, her victory margin dwindled to just 1,042 votes in the 2019 elections.
In this electoral cycle, Trinamool Congress has substituted Poddar with grassroots worker Mitali Bag as the party's candidate for Arambagh.
Poddar's discontent echoes sentiments expressed by other outgoing Lok Sabha members who were denied re-nomination. Arjun Singh, the incumbent Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore constituency, defected to the BJP after being denied a ticket, and is now nominated by the BJP for the same seat.
Similarly, Sunil Mondal, the party's outgoing Lok Sabha member from Bardhaman-Purba constituency in East Burdwan District, lamented being sidelined due to alleged misrepresentation by certain district leaders, resulting in the top Trinamool leadership overlooking his re-nomination.
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