Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Mamata Banerjee to announce list of all 42 TMC candidates at Kolkata rally today

The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) is all set to announce names of all 42 candidates of West Bengal for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls today.

The names are expected to be announced at the party’s mega rally ‘Jana Garjan Sabha’ to be held at Kolkata’s Brigade Ground. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is likely to announce the names. The rally is being led by party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

TMC list announced, ex cricketer Yusuf Pathan among candidates: Read here

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC had won 22 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aNd won 18 while the Congress won two seats. The tally was lower than the 2014 general elections when the Mamata Banerjee-led party had won in 34 of the 42 seats.

The TMC could'nt arrive at a seat-sharing formula with the Congress party as part of Opposition's INDIA bloc. TMC announced on Sunday morning that the West Bengal chief minister is not going to have any seat adjustment with Congress in West Bengal as part of the INDIA.

Sources said that the claim that the list is likely to include many old names, including members of parliament (MPs) and may skip some famous ones. The party is also considering fielding some young leaders this time, the said.

Sources said that the West Bengal CM may announce two candidates from Assam and one each from Meghalaya and UP, too, apart from 42 candidates from West Bengal. 

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The ‘Jana Garjan sabha’ raaly, expected to be attended by around six to eight lakh supporters, comes at a time when many political leaders in West Bengal are switching parties ahead of Lok Sabha polls. Former TMC MLA Tapas Roy who joined the BJP earlier this week. Also, former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay formally joined the BJP in Kolkata on March 7. The same day BJP MLA from Ranaghat-Dakshin Mukut Mani Adhikari joined the TMC.

The dates of Lok Sabha polls to be held in April-May are expected to be announced next week.

The Mamata Banerjee-led party has been on the backfoot considering the criticism faced over the recent upheaval in Sandeshkhali — where local residents staged violent protests last month accusing now-suspended TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his aides of land grab and sexual harassment. Shahjahan has been arrested and is under CBI custody now.