The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unveiled its fourth list of candidates for the upcoming two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal. The list comprises 13 new names, including a replacement candidate for the Maynaguri constituency in Jalpaiguri district. Six more candidate names are pending announcement as the BJP deliberates on the final choices.
Notably, veteran legislator Mihir Goswami has been omitted from the Natabari constituency in Cooch Behar district, with Girija Shankar Roy taking his place after joining the BJP. Santosh Pathak, a former Congress councillor who recently switched to the BJP, has been nominated for the Chowringhee constituency in North Kolkata.
Among the new candidates, former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Debashis Dhar will contest from Sonarpur (Uttar) constituency, while journalist-cum-Youtuber Manav Guha has been fielded for the Memari constituency. Dhar is the second ex-IPS officer nominated by the BJP, following Dr. Rajesh Kumar.
The list also features journalist-turned-politicians Jagannath Chattopadhyay and Santu Pan, in addition to Soma Thakur, wife of Union Minister Santanu Thakur, who will contest from Bagda constituency. Chattopadhyay, also the state vice-president of the BJP in West Bengal, will run for the Suri seat, while Pan will contest from Tarakeswar.
