AIUDF could manage only 1.2% of votes in its first election in West Bengal
By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: Left Party in West Bengal again lagged behind of their previous years performance in 3 bye-election that was held on 23rd February 2013 and the result declared on 28th February.
In Last Assembly election Mamata Banerjee led Trianamul Congress and Indian National congress were in alliance, but in this 3 bye-election they contested separately. Among the 3 constituency Englishbazar of Malda district, Nalhati of Birbhum District and Rejinagar of Murshidabad District only one Muslim candidate could win. Rabiul Alam Chowdhury of Congress was declared winner from Rejinagar. He won by a margin of 11,722, RSP candidates Sirajul Islam came in at second. State Minister Humayun Kabir lost this seat as he was placed at third position.
Rabiul Alam Chowdhury
Few month back Humayun Kabir resigned from his MLA position which he won as a Congress candidates in last Assembly election. Now Kabir loses his ministerial position as well.
A total 14 Muslim candidates contested in 3 seats in West Bengal. One from English Bazar, 4 from Nalhati and 9 from Rejinagar.
In Nalhati with nearly 60 percent Muslim population, among the three leading political party Trinamul Congress, Congress and Forward Block, only Congress nominated a Muslim candidate. Mr Abdur Rahman was defeated by Dipak Chatterjee of Forward Block with a low margin 7746. Abdur Rahman could bag 47585 votes and Dipak Chatterjee 55341. Another rebel candidate of Trianamul Congress Mr Biplab Ojha got 47041.
Apart from Abdur Rahman another three Muslim candidates that contested in this constituency. AIUDF candidate Noorul Huda secured 1953 votes i.e. 1.16 percent of the total vote. AIUDF contested for first time any assembly seat in West Bengal. Janata Party Candidate Nurul islam (Swapan) and Independent candidates Kausar sheik got 12277 and 957. These three candidates cumulatively bagged 4137. BJP candidate Anil Sinha got 12219 votes. Only Muslim candidate in English Bazar Mr Anisur Rahman secured 1296 vote.
In Rejinagar Indian Union Muslim League candidate Jiaur Rahman got only 533 vote. Along with IUML all Independent Muslim candidate secured 4449 vote which is greater than BJP candidate Anil Sinha. Anil Sinha secured only 3720.