Sen, IMA secy since 2012, won’t contest election

Kolkata: Former Trinamool Congress MP Santanu Sen on Sunday decided not to contest the IMA West Bengal election. The state body of the IMA is preparing to elect its office bearers.
Sen, who is currently the honorary secretary of IMA Bengal, said that the decision not to contest the election was taken after a poll-related meeting at the state IMA’s office on Sunday.


Sen told the media that the decision was aimed at making the body apolitical.
IMA Bengal that has got around 16,000 members across the state is preparing for election that is held in every two years.
The Sunday meeting was regarding the nominations of candidates for the polls. While Sen’s name was proposed along with others, he decided to withdraw his nominations.
“I welcome Dr Sen’s decision not to contest the election. The sense among the members is that those into active politics shouldn’t contest this election. This was required for the sake of maintaining unity among us,” said head-and-neck onco surgeon Sourav Datta.
The preparations began as early as Aug. The nominations were finalised on Sunday. There are 25 branches of the state IMA. A member representing a council comprising 25 members will be voting for its respective councils. The polling will begin once IMA’s election commission declares the date.
“Sen’s name was proposed by four state council members but he decided not to contest,” said public health specialist Anirban Dalui.
Another doctor, vice president of IMA Kolkata, Koushik Biswas, also resigned from the post, citing his connection with Trinamool Congress and clarifying that he wanted the association to be apolitical.
Sources said that Biswas, an eye surgeon, is also known to be close to the North Bengal lobby and is a member of the West Bengal Medical Council.
The West Bengal Medical Council is already mired in deep controversy with all doctor bodies demanding its dissolution and fresh elections.