Surjya Kanta Mishra is the undeclared face of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in West Bengal this time. In the Left Front government, Mishra has served as health, land & land reforms, panchayat and rural development minister.
Ironically, Mishra rose in stature when the Left was routed in the last assembly elections in which most of the senior leaders were voted out. Mishra became the Leader of the Opposition and has been leading the party from the front since.
He is also the secretary of the CPI(M) West Benga State Committee and is also a politburo member. Thought the party has not said anything, Mishra is the most likely candidate for the Chief Minister's job.
He has been a five time MLA from 1991 and is known as 'daktar babu' in Narayangarh, West Midnapore.
He became Leader of Opposition in 2011 when his party lost to TMC, and in 2015, he gained popularity amongst his followers after succeeding Biman Bose as secretary.
Mishra has openly criticised Mamata Banerjee quite often and is confident that Congress-Left alliance will overthrow TMC government in the upcoming elections. If it does happen, Mishra will most likely be the new chief minister of state.
However, TMC’s Pardyut Ghosh questioned development in his district, alleging his ignorance to the need of a super specialty hospital urgently required by the people of the town.