Top contests of 2014: Baichung Bhutia vs SS Ahluwalia
[Read: Top contests of 2014]
2009 result: Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh won from this seat last time. He defeated CPI(M)'s Jibesh Sarkar by 2,53,289 votes.
Darjeeling will go to the polls on April 17.
About
Baichung
Bhutia
(TMC)
The
former
captain
of
the
Indian
football
team,
Bhutia,
38,
is
a
fresher
in
politics.
His
candidature
by
party
chief
Mamata
Banerjee
is
a
tactical
ploy
to
tackle
the
GJM
with
which
she
has
a
love-hate
relation.
The
GJM
has
strongly
opposed
Bhutia's
nomination
and
described
him
as
an
'outsider' but
will
have
its
task
cut
out
in
countering
the
iconic
footballer's
influence
among
the
young
voters
in
the
hills
of
North
Bengal.
We
have
to
wait
till
May
16
to
see
who
finally
prevails.
About
S
S
Ahluwalia
(BJP)
Sixty-three-year-old S S Ahluwalia has been a member of the Rajya Sabha from Bihar and Jharkhand. He was also the deputy leader of the opposition in the Upper House of the Parliament.
Mamata Banerjee has made a shrewd move in fielding Baichung but will it work?
The (CPI-M) has fielded Saman Pathak from this seat.
Analysis: Singh, the sitting BJP MP from this seat, was often accused of not raising issues related to Darjeeling. Yet, the backing of the GJM might work to the BJP's advantage. But at the same time, Bhutia will represent Mamata Banerjee, who is the most powerful leader in West Bengal at the moment. All in all, it will be a close contest.
OneIndia News