The struggle of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress to find its footing in the upcoming Assembly Elections became evident on Wednesday as the party announced a major reshuffle.
In a fresh list of eight candidates, the Congress has replaced nominees in seven seats, highlighting the lack of organizational stability as it prepares for a solo fight after breaking ties with the Left and ISF.
The most significant announcement came for the Habra seat, where Pranab Bhattacharya has been fielded against former TMC minister and incumbent MLA Jyotipriya Mallick. In Nadia’s Chapra and Nakashipara, the party was forced to yield to intense pressure from grassroots workers. Asif Khan replaced Rahidul Mondal in Chapra following high-voltage protests at the state Congress headquarters, while Tahir Sheikh was named the candidate for Nakashipara.
Other changes include Chand Sardar in Mandirbazar, Sunayana Biswas in Minakhan, and new faces in the Raina, Ketugram, and Ausgram seats of Purba Bardhaman. Analysts suggest that the repeated changes reflect the party's desperation to secure a presence beyond its traditional bastions of Malda and Murshidabad. The frequent back-and-forth on candidate selection has raised questions about the party’s preparedness to face a dual challenge from the TMC and the BJP.