Trinamool candidate list likely today: many new faces, some ministers to be dropped?

West Bengal’s ruling party Trinamool Congress is likely to announce its candidate list on Wednesday. Mamata Banerjee has finalised the list in consultation with Prashant Kishor and his organisation. Over the past months, Kishor’s company has received inputs on the Trinamool MLAs from across the state — their popularity, people’s grievances, the work they have done or failed to deliver and so on. The list would be based on all those inputs.

Several actors and other celebrities have joined the party recently, including cricketer Manoj Tiwary, actor Saayoni Ghosh, director Raj Chakraborty, among others. While some celebs will be candidates, there will also be mostly young candidates. Many older candidates, including some ministers may be dropped this time.

Mamata Banerjee herself will contest from Nandigram in East Midnapore, as she has already announced. However, it is to be seen whether she also contests from her constituency of many times, Bhawanipore. Saayoni Ghosh, Raj Chakraborty, Kanchan Mullick, Manoj Tiwary are some of the new candidates this time, it is learnt. Another actor from Tollywood, Sayontika, will also join the party later today.

It is to be seen whether candidates from all constituencies are announced at the same time, or in phases. Sources say that a first list may be announced today. Assembly elections in West Bengal are scheduled in eight phases — from March 27 to April 29. Results will be out on May 2.