The Left Front drew first blood in the yet-to-be decided polls by announcing that sitting MP Bikash Choudhury would defend his seat, ending all speculation that small-scale industries minister Bansha Gopal Choudhury would replace him. The oppositions was caught napping. The Lok Sabha poll dates are yet to be announced but posters and wall slogans on the Left Front MP are flooding the town. The silence of the oppositions are quite stark in contrast.

The Trinamul lost the last three elections very narrowly here, and would like to go all out to change the record sheet. The names of Hirapur MLA Moloy Ghatak, Asansol MLA Kalyan Banerjee and Mamata Banerjee's close confident Sougata Roy are  doing the rounds but the party is still undecided on who to field  against Bikash Choudhury. The Congress is mulling two former MLAs - Tapas Banerjee and INTUC leader Chandra Sekhor Banerjee, but yet to take a decision. The BJP also wants to contest the seat this time and the name of Rajya Sabha deputy chief whip Surinder Singh Ahalualia is coming up but they too are reluctant to take a quick decision.

While the opposition debates, the Left Front MP has already held his first phase of meeting with all local committees.