BJP releases list of five more candidates, some more in offing

Kolkata, Apr 1 (UNI) With the announcement of five more candidates, the BJP in West Bengal today released the list of 29 party nominees for the five-phase assembly elections in the state so far.

Announcing the names of party candidates for Behrampore, Katwa, Ghatal(SC), Kranti and Kabitirtha assembly seats, BJP All India General Secretary and party observer for the state Arun Jaitley said that since talks with BJP's electoral partner Trinamool Congress were still on, the names of a few more candidates would be announced soon.

Speaking to newsmen here in presence of BJP state President Tathagata Roy and state party General Secretary Rahul Sinha, Mr Jaitley also announced that the names of two party candidates had been changed in two constituencies in accordance with the demand of party workers.

He said while the party nominee for Tarakeswar constituency has been changed in favour of Ms Krishna Bhattacharya from Mr Jagannath Das, that for the Suti seat had gone in favour of Mr Shasticharan Ghosh instead of Mr Chittaranjan Mukherjee.

Mr Jaitley, however, refused to clarify talks for how many more seats were on with AITC supremo Mamata Banerjee, but said since the BJP was given altogether 32 seats in the 294 member state Assembly by the AITC-led 13-party opposition alliance, West Bengal Democratic Front, the party had already announced the names of 29 candidates.

''However, we are making sincere efforts to get a few more than 32 seats from the AITC,'' Mr Jaitley said adding that under the present situation, the announcement of the names of three more candidates would be completed within the next two to three days.

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