Kolkata, May 27 (PTI) The TMC on Tuesday announced Alifa Ahmed, daughter of late party MLA Nasiruddin Ahamed, as its candidate for the Kaliganj Assembly bypoll in West Bengal’s Nadia district on June 19.

Alifa, 38, previously served as a member of the district council (Zilla Parishad) from Kaliganj and has been actively involved in local politics. Over the years, she participated in various political programmes in Nadia district, often seen alongside her father, earning recognition among the local populace.

“AITC, under the inspiration and guidance of Hon’ble Chairperson Smt.@MamataOfficial, we are pleased to announce the candidate for the upcoming West Bengal Legislative Assembly By-election scheduled for June 19, 2025. Kaliganj candidate (is) Alifa Ahmed,” the party posted on X.

The by-election was necessitated by the death of Nasiruddin Ahamed in February this year.

Popularly known as ‘Lal da’, Ahamed was a veteran TMC leader who had represented Kaliganj multiple times in the West Bengal Assembly, winning in 2011 and 2021, with a gap in 2016. He was 70.

Senior TMC leader Jay Prakash Majumdar, announcing the nomination at a press conference, said, “Alifa has previously served as a district council member from a seat in Kaliganj. She is not new to politics. Under her father’s guidance, she has been involved in many local developmental works. The people of Kaliganj know her, love her, and are eagerly waiting for the polling day.” He added that the nomination came under the direct instruction of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, expressing confidence in Alifa’s ability to carry forward her father’s legacy.

“The Trinamool Congress is confident of securing a record victory margin again in the upcoming bypoll,” he said.

In the 2021 assembly election, Nasiruddin Ahamed had won by a margin of nearly 47,000 votes.

The Kaliganj assembly constituency currently has around 2.5 lakh registered voters, as per a recent revision of the electoral rolls.

The seat holds political significance, and the ruling party is banking on both the goodwill of the late leader and the fresh appeal of his daughter to retain the constituency.

The opposition BJP, Congress and the Left Front are yet to announce their candidates. PTI PNT BDC