Howrah bye-election first test for Mamata Banerjee after chit fund scam

KOLKATA: The bye-election to the Howrah Lok Sabha seat on June 2 is being seen as an acid test for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the Saradha scam rocked the state and her party, the Trinamool Congress.

The Saradha group has been in the news for running money schemes that have reportedly duped lakhs of people of their life's savings. Its chief, Sudipta Sen who is in police custody, has claimed that several politicians including two of Trinamool's MPs---Kunal Ghosh and Srinjoy Basu were involved in the swindle.

The bye-election was necessitated following the death of Ambika Banerjee in April who won the seat in 2009 on a Trinamool Congress ticket. The fact that the Election Commission declared the date for the by-poll early reportedly infuriated the chief minister. "Ambika Da died on April 25 and the Commission declared the poll date on May 3. I don't understand why the Commission has taken so much of interest in holding the polls so early," Banerjee is believed to have told her leaders during a closed door meeting here on Friday.

Still she was ready with the name of her candidate within hours after the bye-election announcement. The Trinamool has fielded footballer Prasun Banerjee in the bye-election.

Congress and CPM are yet to announce their candidates but there is no doubt they will play the Saradha scam to the hilt.

In the coming week, Trinamool faces another complex situation as the Calcutta High Court is likely to give its verdict on holding of panchayat elections.