West Bengal: Uluberia Lok Sabha bypoll likely to be a contest between TMC and BJP

Kolkata: The ensuing by-election in Uluberia Lok Sabha constituency in Howrah district is likely to witness a contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP although the CPM is trying to hold its ground in the seat which was once its bastion. The TMC, which had been winning the seat since 2009, has fielded Sajda Ahmed, wife of Sultan Ahmed whose death has necessitated the by-poll. The CPM has put up Sabiruddin Molla as the left front candidate while SK Madassar Hossain Warsi is contesting on Congress ticket from this semi-urban seat. [caption id=“attachment_4311625” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The BJP is the only party to field a Hindu candidate: Anupam Mallik. Five other independents are also in the fray in the constituency. Political observers say that the by-poll might witness a communal polarisation of the voters in Uluberia. Uluberia is one of the Lok Sabha seats in the state having nearly 40 percent Muslim population. The RSS and the BJP have increased their presence following the communal flare up at Dhulagarh in the district in 2016. The BJP had increased its vote share in the successive by-elections in the state including the bypoll in Sabang Assembly constituency last month. “The people of this area know what role the administration had played when the riots took place and Hindus were beaten up. The people will give a befitting reply to TMC,” BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said. The BJP has been vocal among all other opposition parties in the state about the Dhulagarh riots which the TMC leadership had dubbed as the “handiwork” of BJP to disturb the peace and stability of the state. “The BJP is trying to disturb peace in Bengal. In Uluberia as well as Basirhat in North 24 Paraganas district, it was the BJP and the RSS which had tried to flare up communal violence. But we will never allow people of this state to be divided into communal lines,” TMC secretary-general Partha Chatterjee said. The TMC, which has undertaken various development work in Uluberia, is also banking on the popularity of its former MP Sultan Ahmed to win this time. The TMC had secured 48 per cent votes in this seat in 2014 Lok Sabha election, whereas the CPM and Congress had secured 31 and 5.71 percent votes respectively. The BJP had bagged 11.5 per cent votes in the last Lok Sabha poll. The CPM his hoping to hold on to its ground and the party is trying to prevent BJP from eating into its vote share. The Left-backed CPI(M) candidate had won the seat from 1971 to 2009 at a stretch. “The people of this area are with the Left and the CPM. We are confident that we will win this seat,” a CPI(M) Howrah district committee member said.