Malda North: Congress Bengal Citadel Under Threat By A Divided Dynasty

Malda North in West Bengal is a Congress citadel, loyal to the memory of Indira Gandhi's railway minister ABA Ghani Khan Choudhruy. But its MP of the last 10 years, Ghani Khan's niece Mausam Noor, has now dumped the dynasty and joined the Trinamool. Her first cousin and brother in law Isha Khan Choudhury who is Ghani Khan's nephew and a two term Congress MLA in the district, has taken on Mausam Noor. While the family squabbles and old loyalties undergo a rethink, the BJP is in hot pursuit. It has fielded former CPM MLA Khagen Murmu, a tribal who has the SC ST vote with him. The Muslim vote may be split between rival cousins and Murmu could benefit.