Congress candidate for the West Bengal assembly by-election from the Nandigram constituency, Milan Pradhan, launched his election campaign on Wednesday, hours after being released from a correctional home in Haldia in East Midnapore.
Later I was again blindfolded and taken to Chandipur police station where I was arrested in a 19-year-old case,” Pradhan said while addressing his campaign. The ECI has announced by-polls in Nandigram and Rejinagar on October 6. Results will be declared on October 9. The campaign phase ends on October 4.
The by-election in Nandigram was necessitated after West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, who won Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the May assembly polls, decided to retain Bhabanipur and vacated Nandigram. “I was almost dragged out of the hotel in Chandipur and shoved into a car by some police officials. I was blindfolded. I was then taken to a hotel where I was offered fruit juice, dry fruits and other dishes while being asked to withdraw my nomination. I refused. Pradhan held a roadshow in a jeep. “Law will take its own course.
He went to his residence to seek the blessings of his parents before starting the campaign,” general secretary of the state Congress Subhasish Bhattacharya said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will never stoop to such a low level where it would stifle the voice of the candidates of the opposition parties,” BJP’s candidate Hasi Rani Rath said. “On Wednesday he was received outside the correctional home by the state Congress president Subhankar Sarkar and other leaders of the party.
