Lakhimpur Lok Sabha constituency and Baithalanso assembly constituency in Assam will go for by-elections on Saturday to decide the electoral fate of eight contestants while in West Bengal by-polls are due in Cooch Behar and Tamluk Lok Sabha constituencies and in Monteswar Assembly constituency and would be held on November 19. These two by-polls would be held under the cloud of demonetisation. The issue has become a key issue in the last lap of campaign for the by-polls. Ruling Trinamool Congress, BJP, Left Front and Congress have fielded their candidates in all three seats. Although the Congress and CPI (M)-led Left Front had contested the Assembly polls held earlier this year, the two decided to part company in this round of by-elections. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not campaign for the by-polls and left it to the other leaders of her party. Apart from State BJP President Dilip Ghosh, Union Minister Babul Supriyo canvassed for his party. West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Adhir Chowdhury and CPI (M) State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra spearheaded campaign for their party candidates. Most of the political parties in the poll bound state are in a quandary as demonetisation move has affected their campaigning to a large extent as they are unable to pay the decorators, sound organizers and other expenses. Most of the rural areas in the state still don’t have proper banking facilities. For political leaders demonetisation has all of a sudden come up as an issue for the polls as they are receiving feedback that people are inconvenienced due to the new decision. The free flow of cash has de-spirited the election tempo in the state. On the other hand it would be litmus test for the BJP to test waters in the Communist strong hold which of late turned to Trinamool Congress led by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
