Bengal Polls A Long Way Off, Leaders Jump The Gun, Announce Candidates

The assembly elections in West Bengal are due early next year, but the long wait has only made the state's ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP to fast forward the election machinery. In fact, they have skipped several steps, including consulting senior leaders, and jumped to the most coveted bit -- the announcement of candidates.

The announcements are mostly unilateral - made by the supporters of over-eager aspirants and sometimes the aspirants themselves - a situation that has left their parties red-faced. 

Trinamool's Anubrata Mandal has announced the name of the party candidate for Sainthia. While addressing a Bijoya Sammilani programme in Sainthia, Mondol went on record naming Lilabati, the sitting MLA. 

"My friends, remember 2026 elections is for Mamata Banerjee. Don't worry about who the candidate is. Lilabati is Mamata Banerjee's candidate. Mamata Banerjee won't be Chief Minister if Lilabati does not win in this election," he said. 

On the other side, BJP MLA Ashok Dinda has announced that he would be fielded from the Maina seat. The cricketer-turned-MLA announced his candidacy from a stage, drawing sharp criticism from the party's top leadership. 

"I am telling you. In 2026 election there is 99.99 per cent chance that Ashok Dinda will contest from Maina. Though it is not sure who will be named by the BJP, I can confirm that there is a 99.99 per cent chance that Ashok Dinda will fight from this seat... I will contest," he said.

A section of BJP leaders, however, do not see anything wrong with this. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said Dinda would be candidate when party will announce it officially. 

"He can be the candidate when the party announces that. He is an active MLA, who stays in his constituency and works for the people. So, he can tell that he has proved performance in assembly," he said, but pointed out that the final decision belongs not to the MLA but the party.

Trinamool has criticised the BJP for Ashok Dinda's comment. 

Senior party leader Jayprakash Majumder said, "His statement shows that the BJP's house is not in order. So far, everyone in the BJP now wants a ticket". 

He, however, refused to accept that there is any internal problem in his own party. Anubrata Mondal's comment in Birbhum "does not show anything wrong, one can predict candidates' names if they wish," he said.