‘But why now?’ Mamata questions arrest of Congress’ Nandigram bypoll candidate, calls it ‘BJP's vendetta politics’

Former chief minister and TMC founder Mamata Banerjee on Friday questioned the arrest of Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, saying it came ‘minutes’ after her party extended support to him for the Nandigram bypoll.

Banerjee alleged that the BJP was using an “old case” against Pradhan and described it as part of what she called the party’s politics of “vendetta and atrocities”.

Also Read: Hours after Mamata's support, Congress claims Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan arrested

“Minutes after we extended our support to the Congress candidate for the bypoll in Nandigram, the Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested. The timing raises serious questions and is the usual BJP formula: dig out an old case. But why now? Just after we announced support to the Congress!” Banerjee said in a X post.

“The BJP’s politics of vendetta and atrocities show a clear pattern. With manipulation, with vote loot, with intimidation the Election Agency-BJP partnership is killing democracy every day,” the post added.

‘Murder of democracy’, says Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also reacted to Pradhan’s arrest, saying it was “no coincidence” and calling it “political revenge” and “the murder of democracy”.

He alleged that the BJP had “no faith in fair elections” and accused the party of trying to cling to power through what he described as “vote theft”, “stealing governments” and “stealing parties”.

Gandhi said the BJP did not want to contest elections but wanted to “end the electoral fight altogether”. “The Congress will neither fear nor bow down. We will fight—and we will win,” he said.

Pradhan's arrest

Pradhan was arrested by West Bengal Police on Friday in connection with an old murder case, with police sources saying he was an accused in the case and that an arrest warrant had been issued.

He is likely to be produced before a court in Haldia on Saturday, when the deadline for withdrawal of nominations for the bypoll ends.

The arrest came hours after Banerjee announced that her faction would support Pradhan after its own candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew from the Nandigram contest following a meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state secretariat Nabanna.

Banerjee, announcing the decision at a press conference earlier in the day, described the Congress as a "sister party" and said the move was aimed at strengthening the INDIA bloc. Her faction had earlier fielded Pradhan Dey for the bypoll.

The withdrawal left Banerjee's faction without a candidate in Nandigram, prompting her to back the Congress nominee rather than field a replacement.

The final list of candidates in the Nandigram contest is expected to emerge after Saturday's withdrawal deadline.

Congress reacts to arrest

Congress on Friday claimed that Pradhan was arrested “within just a few hours after Banerjee extended her support to him”.

The Congress candidate's alleged arrest came shortly after former Banerjee announced that her TMC faction would back the Congress candidate in Nandigram, describing Congress as a "sister party" and saying the decision was aimed at strengthening the INDIA bloc.

"In Nandigram, we are going to give our support to the Congress party. It is for the greater interest of the country. Rejinagar, I will decide later. In Assam, we are not contesting," Banerjee said at a press conference in Kolkata.