TMC likely to name all 294 candidates in one go

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress’ final list of candidates, expected later this week, is likely to reflect an effort to include more women candidates and younger and new faces.The party leadership, which has been in back-to-back meeting over the last three days to finalise its list, is also planning to announce all its 294 candidates in one go, according to sources.The party could also drop several sitting MLAs—almost 75—according to the sources, and focus on fielding new candidates with a clean record. This is being done to counter the BJP's allegation that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) promotes "cut money" culture in execution of government programmes. Furthering its theme of ‘Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chai’ (Bengal wants its own daughter), the TMC is likely to field over 35% women candidates. The leaders have also decided not to field anyone above the age of 80. TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee met the party's 12-member election committee, which included Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Partha Chatterjee, Saugata Roy and Derek O'Brien, among others, on Monday at her residence in Kalighat and brain-stormed over the nominations, after which there have been many back-to-back meetings. The reports on every sitting MLA by the Prashant Kishor-led I-PAC would also play a key role in candidate selection, sources said. Kishor, in all his political campaigns, has insisted on a model that the party announces all its candidates in one go without waiting for its rivals.In 2016, the TMC had won 211 seats in the 294-member state Assembly. The Left-Congress alliance had bagged 77 seats, and the BJP three. The election this time—a tight contest mainly between TMC and the BJP--will be held in eight phases, beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27. Votes will be counted on May 2."Many local leaders who have dominance over the area but are corrupt, or were found taking commission, will be dropped. Many have shifted to the BJP. And there will be no mercy on their aides who are waiting in the TMC. The focus is to only portray the CM's image and a candidate who can take her message forward without curry favouring with the BJP," a senior leader told ET.The likely decision of announcing all candidates in one go is also being done to portray the party as confident of moving forward without waiting for the BJP's lists.

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