West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to contest from her old bastion

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Pic/PTI

West Bengal agriculture minister and veteran TMC leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay vacated the Bhabanipur assembly seat on Friday, paving way for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to contest bypoll from her old bastion, party sources said.

Banerjee, who lost the polls from Nandigram, needs to get elected to the assembly within six months to hold on to the chief minister's chair. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, however, refused to divulge anything on Banerjee's re-election, and said the party will come up with a statement at an appropriate time.

Chattopadhyay tendered his resignation to the Assembly speaker earlier in the day. "CM Banerjee had won twice from Bhabanipur. All party leaders discussed and when I heard she wants to contest from here, I thought I should vacate my seat. There is no pressure. Nobody else has the courage to run the government. I spoke to her. It was her seat I was just protecting it," he said later.

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