Kolkata, 15 March (H.S.): Visits by Asit Majumdar, the All India Trinamool Congress MLA from Chuchura in Hooghly district, to the residences of opposition leaders in recent days have triggered speculation in political circles ahead of the announcement of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections.

According to local sources, the MLA has been visiting opposition leaders almost every morning over the past few days. On some occasions, he went to a hospital to meet an ailing opposition leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the panchayat level, while on another occasion he visited the residence of a Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader after learning about his cancer diagnosis.

On Sunday morning, Majumdar also visited the residence of former councillor and All India Forward Bloc leader Prabir Ray in the Shyambabu Ghat area of Chuchura after learning about his illness. The two spoke for some time and the MLA assured him of support.

Ray said the TMC legislator had earlier stood by people in the area during times of need. “We may belong to different political parties, but he has a sense of humanity. Political ideologies may differ, but one should stand by people as a human being,” he said.

Majumdar, however, described the visit as a courtesy call, saying he went to meet Ray after hearing about his illness.

Political observers said the visits have drawn attention as the Election Commission of India is expected to announce the schedule for the assembly elections on Sunday, following which the TMC may release its list of candidates within a day or two. It remains unclear whether Majumdar will be fielded again from the Chuchura constituency.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey