Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday announced that former Transport Minister Madan Mitra, who was arrested in connection with the Saradha scam in December 2014, will contest from Kamarhati Assembly constituency.
Although he had contested the 2016 assembly elections from behind the bars, Mitra was defeated by CPI(M)'s Manas Mukherjee. However, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has continued to display her faith in Mitra.
It is speculated that Didi chose Mitra for the job considering his popularity in Kamarhati. Chief Minister Mamata's decision was reportedly welcomed by Trinamool workers.
In 2011, Mitra was elected from Kamarhati. Later, Mamata offered him a cabinet rank, making him the state minister for transport and sports. However, Mitra was forced to relinquish the cabinet position and membership in the Legislative Assembly when his reputation was blemished in the Saradha chit fund scam and subsequent arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Mitra's strength, according to reports, is his public relations and the image of 'the friend in need'. He is considered as very few of the mass leaders in TMC after Mamata Banerjee.
Although he was away from the limelight for some time, he got closer to the chief minister again as the time for elections came closer.
A reason for that was he did not follow his erstwhile colleagues like Suvendu Adhikari and Rajib Bandopadhyay in joining BJP.
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