ISF nominee to contest against Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram

Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 7

The leadership of the Left Front have decided to allot the Nandigram seat, against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (TMC), to ally Indian Secular Front (ISF) in the upcoming West Bengal election.

BJP's Suvendu Adhikari will also contest the seat.

The Left is in alliance with the Congress and the ISF, which is headed by a Muslim cleric and influential leader of the community, Abbas Siddiqui.

Top Left sources said on Sunday the CPI, which traditionally contests from Nandigram, has agreed to leave the seat to the ISF. The seat has a high concentration of Muslim voters, who have been traditionally supporting the TMC.

A CPI central leader confirmed the development to TNS.

Sources said the Left leaders were waiting for the BJP to announce its nominee against Banerjee in Nandigram. With the saffron party announcing Adhikari's name as its calling card for the battle royale in the constituency, the Left has firmed up its strategy.

The sources said that even though the seat has been allotted to the ISF, it will be decided on the name of its nominee for the important battle following a discussion with allies.

They further said that the nominee's name will be either announced on Sunday or at the most by Monday.