West Bengal: BJP fields Agnimitra Paul against Shatrughan Sinha for Asansol bypolls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded fashion designer-turned-politician Agnimitra Paul for the ensuing Lok Sabha bypolls where she will face off against Shatrughan Sinha, fielded by Trinamool Congress (TMC).

The polls are seen as a prestige battle in the state ruled by Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, which had trounced the BJP in the Assembly polls in 2021.

Paul, the sitting MLA, is also the general secretary of West Bengal BJP and was elected from Asansol Dakshin (South) in the 2021 Assembly polls after she defeated the then TMC candidate Sayani Ghosh.

BJP has also nominated Keya Ghosh as the party's candidate for Assembly by-election from Ballygunge.

The by-polls in these two constituencies will be held on April 12 while results will be declared on April 16.

TMC has fielded former union ministers Shatrughan Sinha and Babul Supriyo for Lok Sabha by-election from Asansol and Assembly by-election from Ballygunge respectively. Notably, both Sinha and Supriyo once used to be members of the BJP.

Meanwhile, reacting to the nominations of Sinha and Supriyo, BJP's Agnimitra Paul said, "People like Babul Supriyo and Shatrughan Sinha have no ideology or policy in their life. BJP is the largest party of the nation and no individual matters for the party. The most important thing is the 'Kamal' (BJP symbol). Shatrughan Sinha used to be in Congress, then he joined BJP and later moved to TMC. Now he might join AAP as well."

The Asansol Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after Supriyo, a two-time BJP MP, quit the BJP in October last year and joined the TMC. The Ballygunge Assembly seat fell vacant following the demise of state Minister Subrata Mukherjee.

( With inputs from ANI )