Buddhadeb to face challenge from ex-CPM leader

KOLKATA: Samir Putatunda, a former CPM leader who is now a functionary of the Party For Democratic Socialism (PDS), will contest against Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in the Jadavpur Assembly constituency. PDS was formed in 2001 after Putatunda and former CPM Central Committee member Saifuddin Chowdhury quit CPM.

Putatunda was also the CPM's South 24-Parganas district secretary when he left the party in 2001 to float the new political outfit. Putatunda told reporters on Tuesday that his party and its alliance partners will contest 36 of the 54 Assembly seats where elections will take place on April 18. The PDS had an alliance with Trinamool Congress during the latter's agitation at Singur. But later, the PDS snapped its ties with Mamata Banerjee and has now decided to contest 36 seats in the first phase of polls. Trinamool has fielded former West Bengal chief secretary Manish Gupta against Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.