An intense political drama unfolded in West Bengal on Saturday after Mamata Banerjee ‘s Rejinagar bypoll candidate, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, announced to withdraw his nomination – only to make a U-turn in less than two hours.
After Dey withdrew her nomination, Banerjee announced that the TMC would support Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate in Nandigram. “Our workers are being pressured and threatened with arrests. Some have also been arrested. They are not being able to campaign. We are planning to step aside. She asked me to take the call. Secondly, we will have to contest with a new symbol.
Hours later Milan Pradhan was arrested by the police in 2007 murder cases.
I spoke to Banerjee last night and told her everything. I am planning to withdraw my nomination,” Chowdhury said.
The Congress, however, hit back questioning the timing of Pradhan’s arrest and said that the party won’t back down even if Pradhan is sent to jail. Earlier reporting noted: Chowdhury has announced his decision to withdraw his candidature, citing the primary reason as the failure to secure the Trinamool Congress party symbol—the ‘Twin Flowers’, news agency ANI reported. “I had a word with Banerjee. I will start campaigning. Senior leaders of the party will come to Rejinagar to campaign for me. This comes just a day after Sanchita Pradhan Dey, Banerjee’s candidate in Nandigram, withdrew her nomination. “Our candidate will fight the by-poll on the temporary symbol – football player. Similar cases were registered against several other persons. Suvendu Adhikari and his father Sisir Adhikari were also among the leaders during that movement. Why was Pradhan arrested after so many years and that too when he has filed the nomination? If our candidate is sent to jail, thousands of Milan Pradhans will take to the streets in Nandigram and campaign. Mamata questions arrest of Congress’ Nandigram bypoll candidate, calls it ‘BJP’s vendetta politics’
Banerjee may also come,” he said around 12:30 pm. “All the cases against Pradhan were registered during the anti-land acquisition movement in 2007.
All speculation put to rest,” said a statement issued by Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, the new name allotted to the Banerjee-led faction by the ECI. They will distribute leaflets,” Subhankar Sarkar, state Congress president told the media.
Earlier reporting noted: Also Read | ‘But why now? Dey had met West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday evening in Kolkata. Earlier reporting noted: After Nandigram, TMC’s Rejinagar candidate to withdraw from bypoll in fresh setback for Mamata Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered another major political jolt on Saturday as Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, the party’s candidate for the Rejinagar by-election, decided to withdraw his nomination.
