Former CPIM minister Ashok Bhattacharya loses in civic polls

Ashok Bhattacharya, minister in the former CPI-M-led Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government, lost from ward 6 of the Siliguri municipality by 510 votes today. He lost to Trinamool Congress candidate Mohd Alam Khan.

Bhattacharya said after he lost, “We have lost badly. The Left votes that had gone to the BJP earlier, have gone to the Trinamool instead of coming to the Left.” Bhattacharya also said that the CPIM had been “rejected politically”. He added: “We are Communists. We cannot be upset with a loss, and we will continue to go out and fight.”

Trinamool has won or is leading in 37 of the 47 seats in Siliguri municipality. The BJP, CPIM and the Congress are leading or have won in 5, 4 and 1 seats respectively. Bhattacharya said that the CPIM will analyse the reasons for the loss. “However, we have to accept the defeat,” he said.