“The absence of the candidates from the campaign and also on the poll day would be a loss,” said Gobinda Chandra Mandal, the Malda district BJP president.
“But ours is an organised party and our supporters vote looking at the symbol,” he added, putting up a brave face even as reports from the ground level are different.
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The absence of the candidates from the campaign trail, however, is not the only woe facing the BJP that had high expectations from the district.
Unlike earlier years, a number of disgruntled BJP leaders have filed nominations as Independents in five seats.