West Bengal assembly bypolls: TMC announces candidates for 6 seats

Kolkata, Oct 20 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress on Sunday announced candidates for the November 13 by-elections to six assembly constituencies in West Bengal.

The party fielded Sangita Roy from Sitai in Cooch Behar district, Jay Prakash Toppo from Madarihat in Alipurduar, Sanat Dey from Naihati and Sk Rabiul Islam from Haroa in North 24 Parganas, Falguni Singhababu from Taldangra in Bankura and Sujoy Hazra from Medinipur in Paschim Medinipur district.

The TMC won five of these seats in the 2021 assembly polls, except for Madarihat, which was held by the BJP. The bypolls were necessitated due to the resignations of sitting MLAs of the six assembly segments following their victory in this year's Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP has already announced candidates for the six assembly constituencies in the state where bypolls will be held on November 13, while the Left Front and the Congress are yet to announce their candidates for the bypolls.

The electoral contest is expected to be a litmus test for all political parties amid ongoing doctors' protests over the rape-murder of a post-graduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Junior doctors in the state had initiated a 'cease-work' following the alleged rape and murder of their colleague at RG Kar hospital on August 9.

They are now observing fast-unto-death since October 5 after nearly 50 days of 'cease-work' in two phases.

The protesting doctors have been demanding justice for the deceased woman medic at the state-run hospital, and immediate removal of state Health Secretary NS Nigam.

Their other demands include establishment of a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and formation of task forces to ensure essential provisions for CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces. PTI