Nandigram bypoll: Mamata backs Congress after TMC candidate withdraws, Milan Pradhan arrested
Nandigram's October 6 Assembly bypoll witnessed a series of dramatic developments on Friday, with Mamata Banerjee's faction withdrawing its candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey from the contest and subsequently extending support to Congress nominee Milan Pradhan. Hours later, Pradhan was arrested in connection with an old case linked to the 2007 Nandigram land-acquisition movement, according to police and Congress sources.
The developments came on a day when the Election Commission allotted separate names and symbols to the two rival Trinamool Congress factions after freezing the original party name and its traditional ‘Jora Phool’ symbol for the bypolls. Mamata Banerjee's faction was allotted the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Football Player’ symbol, while the rival faction was allotted ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Envelope’ symbol.
Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination a day before the deadline after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state secretariat, Nabanna, along with her husband Satyajit. The reasons behind her withdrawal were not immediately clear.
Her exit left the Mamata faction without a candidate in Nandigram. Banerjee subsequently announced that her faction would support Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, calling Congress a “sister party” and saying the decision was aimed at strengthening the INDIA bloc.
“We are extending our support to Congress in Nandigram. We are doing this for the greater interest of the nation,” Banerjee said.
The move came amid recent uncertainty over the relationship between the TMC and Congress in West Bengal. Although the two parties are constituents of the INDIA bloc at the national level, they have generally contested elections against each other in the state.
The political developments were followed by Pradhan's arrest. Police sources said he was arrested in connection with an old case related to the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram. A Congress leader said Pradhan was picked up from a hotel in Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district and was likely to be produced before a court in Haldia on Saturday.
Congress leaders questioned the timing of the arrest, which came shortly after Banerjee announced support for Pradhan. West Bengal Pradesh Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar alleged political vendetta and claimed the action was aimed at removing opposition from the electoral contest.
The BJP rejected the allegation, saying the police were carrying out their duties and that the arrest had no political connection. A BJP leader also said the party was not concerned about which candidates remained in the contest and expressed confidence about its prospects in Nandigram.
The withdrawal has revived memories of the Falta Assembly repoll earlier this year, when TMC candidate Jahangir Khan withdrew his nomination after the withdrawal deadline had passed. His name therefore remained on the electronic voting machine.
Nandigram has particular political significance for both Banerjee and Adhikari. The 2007 anti-land acquisition movement became an important chapter in Bengal politics and contributed to the TMC's campaign that ended 34 years of Left Front rule in 2011.
Banerjee contested Nandigram against Adhikari in the 2021 Assembly election and lost by a narrow margin. Adhikari, who had earlier been associated with the TMC, subsequently emerged as a prominent BJP leader in the state.
The latest developments followed days of uncertainty over a possible understanding between the TMC and Congress for the bypolls. Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya had claimed that the Mamata faction had proposed an arrangement involving Nandigram and Rejinagar, but the Congress' Bengal unit opposed such a proposal. The TMC denied making such an offer.
The rebel TMC faction also criticised Banerjee's decision to support Congress, pointing to the two parties' long-running rivalry in West Bengal. These are political allegations and claims by rival factions and have not been independently established.
With the Mamata faction withdrawing its candidate, backing Congress, Pradhan facing arrest and both the BJP and rival TMC faction remaining in the contest, the Nandigram bypoll has entered a new phase ahead of the October 6 polling.
The nomination withdrawal deadline is September 19, making the status of Milan Pradhan's candidature an immediate issue in the constituency.
with inputs from PTI
