BJP eyes 2014 gains in Hills

Kolkata: The Parui woman, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by police and Trinamool workers in January 2015, may be fielded by BJP as its candidate for Murarai constituency.

According to sources, the state leadership has rfecommended her name to the central election committee.

The party has taken its time releasing the third list of candidates for 14 constituencies in north Bengal - and not without reason. BJP candidates had a clear lead in five of these constituencies in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. In two others, BJP was in second position.

This time, the party has fielded Vishal Lama in Kalchini constituency, which went with Birendra Bara (Oraon) in 2014, bagging 67,129 votes. In Madarihat, where BJP got 58,413 votes in 2014 and was well ahead of RSP, the party has fielded Manoj Tigga.

Its the same story in Matigara-Naxalbari assembly segment under Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat. In 2014, BJP candidate S S Ahluwalia polled 63,760 votes here against 54,083 by footballer Bhaichung Bhutia of Trinamool. The BJP candidate here is Anand Mai Varman now.

"The party has a very good chance in these three constituencies. Apart from this, there will be a good fight in Siliguri, where BJP got 58,730 votes in 2014 despite a belief that an alliance with Gorkha Janmukti Morcha would not go down well with people in the plains. In comparison, Trinamool polled only 51,204 votes. This year, our candidate from Siliguri is Geeta Chatterjee," said a BJP leader.

"Our major fight in Siliguri will be against CPM, which has done well in the last couple of years. We also hope to do well in Phansidewa where Durga Murmu is contesting. In 2014, BJP got 49,137 votes in this constituency while Trinamool polled only 44,226," he added.

He also said that the party has a good chance in Islampur, Nagrakata and English Bazaar and is looking for close fights in Dabgram-Phulbari, Tapan, Balurghat, Malda and Farakka.