Mamata to file nomination for Bhabanipur assembly bypoll on Friday

Mamata Banerjee also said that Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, who originally won the Bhabanipur assembly seat, will contest from Khardaha constituency.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will file her nomination for the bypoll in Bhabanipur assembly constituency on Friday.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee during a meeting with representatives of Durga Puja committees, in Kolkata on Tuesday,  (PTI)

Addressing a press conference, Mamata Banerjee also said that Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, who originally won the Bhabanipur seat in the assembly elections held earlier this year, but now vacated it for Banerjee to contest, will contest from Khardaha constituency.

“He resigned for me, but he will continue as a minister in Bengal cabinet,” the chief minister said on Wednesday.

The bypoll in Bhabanipur assembly constituency, which will take place on September 30, was neccessiated after Trinamool Congress leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay vacated it recently so that Mamata Banerjee, who became the chief minister despite not winning any seat in the latest assembly election, could contest. Banerjee lost to her former aide Suvendu Adhikari by a thin margin of 1,956 votes from Nandigram constituency.

However, as per the law, Mamata has to win on any seat in the state to have the chance of becoming a member of the state assembly, or the chief minister's post, before November 5.

“We have sent a list of six names to Delhi. The list includes the names of Priyanka Tibrewal and Biswajit Sarkar among others like Tathagata Roy,” a senior BJP leader told the Hindustan Times.

Banerjee began her campaign for the bypolls on Wednesday after the Election Commission on Saturday announced that it will hold elections in three constituencies of the eastern state, including Jangipur and Samsherganj constituencies in Bengal.

The ballots cast in bypolls will be counted on October 3 – one week before the Durga Puja celebrations kick off in Bengal.