NewKerala.com

Key Points

West Bengal Minister Firhad Hakim has raised concerns over the Chief Electoral Officer awarding a tender for election work to a Gujarat-based firm instead of local entities. The controversy surrounds preparations for the Kaliganj Assembly bypoll, necessitated after TMC MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed's death. The election features a three-way contest between TMC, BJP, and Congress-supported CPI(M). Hakim's allegations add fuel to the political tensions ahead of Thursday's voting.

Key Points: Bengal Minister Hakim Questions CEO Over Gujarat Firm Tender Win

  • Hakim alleges bias in CEO's tender award to Gujarat firm
  • Kaliganj bypoll follows TMC MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed's death
  • TMC fields Ahmed's daughter Alifa in three-way contest
  • BJP and Congress aim to leverage voter discontent
2 min read

Bengal Minister accuses CEO of awarding tender to Gujarat-based entity

WB Minister Firhad Hakim accuses CEO of favoring Gujarat entity over local firms in Kaliganj bypoll tender, sparking political debate.

"Why are entities from West Bengal being deprived in such cases? – Firhad Hakim"

Kolkata, June 18

West Bengal Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim on Wednesday accused the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of awarding a tender for election-related work to a Gujarat-based entity while declining the claims from state-based entities who had also participated in the tendering process.

Speaking in the Assembly, the minister said that the office of the CEO has floated a tender for election-related work for the bypolls for the Kaliganj Assembly constituency. “A number of entities from West Bengal participated in the tendering process. However, the tender was awarded to a Gujarat-based entity. Why are the entities from West Bengal being deprived in such cases,” Hakim questioned.

Kaliganj is among the five assembly constituencies scattered in four states that will be going for bypolls on Thursday. The counting will be held on June 23. The other four constituencies that will be going for polls will be Kadi and Visavdar in Gujarat, Ludhiana-West in Punjab, and Nilambur in Kerala.

Bypolls for the Kaliganj Assembly constituency were necessitated following the demise of Trinamool Congress legislator Nasiruddin Ahmed in February this year at the age of 70.

The bypolls for Kaliganj on Thursday will be a three-way contest involving Trinamool Congress, BJP and Congress-supported by CPI(M).

Trinamool Congress had filed Alifa Ahmed, the daughter of the deceased party legislator from the same constituency. Her target is to exceed the winning margin of 46,987 votes achieved in 2021 by her father.

For the BJP candidate Ashish Ghosh, the challenge is to transfer the growing grievances of people on these issues in his favour. His strong point is his organisational abilities as well as his clean and son-of-the-soil image.

For Congress candidate Kabil Uddin Shaikh, the target is to ensure the consolidation of the dedicated and remaining vote banks of both Congress and the Left Front in Kaliganj.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

Here are 5 diverse Indian perspective comments for the article:
R
Rajesh K.
This is concerning if local vendors are being ignored in favor of out-of-state companies. West Bengal has capable businesses that should get fair opportunities. At the same time, we must ensure this isn't being politicized before elections. Let's wait for CEO's explanation.
P
Priya M.
As a Bengali, I understand the sentiment but tenders should be awarded purely on merit. If the Gujarat company offered better quality/price, it's fair. But if there was bias, that's unacceptable. Hope EC investigates properly 🤔 #TransparencyMatters
A
Arjun S.
Interesting timing of this allegation right before bypolls! Whether true or not, such statements create regional divides. India is one country - businesses from any state should compete fairly. The minister should share concrete evidence if he has any.
S
Sunita R.
This reminds me of the "Bengal vs Gujarat" narrative that keeps coming up. Instead of state-wise comparisons, we should focus on creating equal opportunities for all Indian businesses. Maybe a transparent bidding portal would help avoid such controversies? 💡
V
Vikram J.
The CEO's office must clarify the selection criteria immediately. If West Bengal companies were unfairly rejected, it's serious. But if the Gujarat firm won fairly, then the minister's statement is irresponsible election rhetoric. Either way, truth should come out.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50