ISF fields Arabul from Canning East, springs Deganga surprise
Times of India | 24 March 2026
Kolkata: ISF on Monday named Arabul Islam as its Canning East candidate and Mohammad Mafidul Haque, alias Mintu Sahaji — a Trinamool North 24 Parganas zilla parishad member — as its Deganga candidate, springing two surprises in its first list of 23 candidates across nine districts. Party chief Nawsad Siddique will contest again from Bhangar. ISF is in an electoral alliance with the Left Front.
Supporters gathered at Hatishala in Bhangar to garland Siddique and Arabul soon after the list was released. ISF also fielded candidates in Canning Paschim, Magrahat Paschim, Kulpi, Baduria, Amdanga, Madhyamgram, Haroa and Basirhat North.
Arabul, who won from Bhangar on a Trinamool ticket in 2006 but lost in 2011, was denied a ticket by the party in 2016 and 2021. Trinamool this year moved its Canning East MLA Saokat Molla to contest from Bhangar. Arabul claimed Trinamool would lose both Bhangar and Canning East. Molla, however, said Trinamool would win both seats comfortably.
Sahaji was expelled from Trinamool on Monday after he joined ISF. He had earlier drawn the party's ire by posting on social media against the official Trinamool candidate from Deganga and raising concerns about shrinking victory margins in 2024 and lost booths in the panchayat polls.