Senior Congress leader and four-time MLA Asit Mitra has turned rebel after being denied a ticket in the party’s first list for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, triggering unrest across several constituencies in Howrah district. 

A lifelong Congressman, Mitra has twice won from Kalyanpur and served two terms as MLA from Amta.

Known for staying loyal to the party despite several colleagues switching sides over the years, he had even declined an offer of a ministerial post in the past. However, his exclusion from the candidate list has sparked sharp criticism from within the party ranks.

The Congress has fielded Tapan Das, president of the Howrah District Kisan Congress, from the Amta constituency, widely regarded as Mitra’s stronghold.

Angered by the decision, Mitra took to social media, posting a video message in which he lashed out at the state leadership and announced his decision to contest as an independent candidate.

“I am a four-time MLA. I feel the state Congress is not functioning properly at present. I have fought all my life for the people of Amta and for the Congress party, and I will continue to do so. I rejected a ministerial post. I will contest from Amta with the support of the people,” Mitra said.

Soon after the candidate list was released on Sunday night, protests broke out across multiple constituencies in Howrah, including Amta, Panchla, Jagatballavpur, Uluberia North, Uluberia East, Uluberia South, Shyampur, Bagnan, and Udaynarayanpur. Watch the video below: 

 
 

In some places, agitated supporters allegedly vandalised party offices, reflecting the scale of discontent within the organisation.

Party workers have alleged that local leaders were overlooked in favour of ‘outsiders’, and that candidate selection was carried out without consulting grassroots workers.

In several cases, nominees are reportedly not even voters in the constituencies they are contesting from. There are also allegations that individuals who recently joined from other parties have been given tickets.

Howrah District Rural Congress Committee president Alam Deiyan acknowledged the dissatisfaction, stating that concerns over candidate selection have been communicated to the state leadership and the All India Congress Committee (AICC). However, his own candidature from Uluberia East has also faced resistance, with local workers claiming he does not reside in the constituency.

Further controversy has emerged over other nominations, including retired judge Intaj Ali Shah from Uluberia South, who is reportedly based in Medinipur, and Manjur Alam from Shyampur, whose candidature has been opposed by local leaders.

Despite the turmoil in Howrah, the Congress has announced candidates in all four constituencies of the Arambagh subdivision, where nominees have already begun campaigning.

With rebellion brewing and organisational cracks widening, the Congress faces a fresh challenge in maintaining unity ahead of the crucial Assembly polls.