Bengal Congress Leader Abdul Mannan Urges Sonia Gandhi to Back TMC in Kharagpur Bypoll

Senior West Bengal Congress leader Abdul Mannan has written to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, saying the party is weak in Kharagpur and suggesting that backing the ruling Trinamool Congress there is the only way to stop the BJP in the coming by-election.

The bypolls

On October 25, the Election Commission announced that by-elections to three vacant West Bengal assembly seats, Kaliaganj (North Dinajpur district), Kharagpur Sadar (West Midnapore) and Karimpur (Nadia), would be held on November 25. Nominations close on November 6 and votes will be counted on November 28, with EVMs and VVPATs at every polling station.

Kaliaganj became vacant after Congress MLA Parmatha Nath Ray died on May 31. Kharagpur Sadar and Karimpur fell vacant when BJP MLA Dilip Ghosh and TMC MLA Mahua Moitra were elected to the Lok Sabha from Midnapore and Krishnanagar respectively.

What the letter says

In the letter, Mannan told Gandhi he had discussed the seats with the Left Front, which agreed to support the Congress in Kaliaganj, while the Congress would back the Left in Karimpur, where the Left is stronger. On Kharagpur Sadar, he wrote that the party’s organisation had been badly weakened by the defection of many workers and leaders after the death of Gyan Singh Sohanpal, a veteran who was MLA 10 times. He proposed supporting the TMC candidate there to keep the BJP out, but said he would follow whatever she decided.

Asked about it, Mannan called it “the party’s internal matter” and said the decision now rested with Gandhi. He said he had met her twice on October 10, the first time at about 10.30am, before the bypolls were announced, to share his views on changes the party needed.

Congress-Left arrangement

The Congress and the Left Front have agreed to a seat adjustment for the bypolls. Somendra Nath Mitra, who heads the state Congress, said earlier that Gandhi gave the go-ahead for the arrangement, aimed at checking both the TMC and the BJP, under which the Congress would contest Kaliaganj and Kharagpur and the Left would contest Karimpur.

See also: Indian National Congress and more election news.

Originally published on 30 October 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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