Two withdrawals, one U-turn: TMC chaos ahead of Bengal bypolls

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.

At around 10:50 am, Chowdhury, a former TMC MLA from Rejinagar, told media persons in Murshidabad that he had a discussion with Banerjee on Friday and was likely to withdraw his nomination on Saturday afternoon. He cited the threat of arrests as the reason for his move.

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“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. I spoke to Banerjee last night and told her everything. She asked me to take the call. Secondly, we will have to contest with a new symbol. I am planning to withdraw my nomination,” Chowdhury said.

Rejinagar candidate's U-turn

But within two hours, he backtracked, saying that he was not quitting and would start campaigning for the by-elections.

“I had a word with Banerjee. I will start campaigning. Senior leaders of the party will come to Rejinagar to campaign for me. Banerjee may also come,” he said around 12:30 pm.

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This comes just a day after Sanchita Pradhan Dey, Banerjee's candidate in Nandigram, withdrew her nomination. Dey had met West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday evening in Kolkata.

Nandigram shocker

After Dey withdrew her nomination, Banerjee announced that the TMC would support Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate in Nandigram. Hours later Milan Pradhan was arrested by the police in 2007 murder cases.

Banerjee had said on Friday that she would announce her decision on the Rejinagar candidate soon.

“Our candidate will fight the by-poll on the temporary symbol – football player. 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.

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“Milan Pradhan was arrested in connection with four pending non-bailable arrest warrants pending at Nandigram police station. The cases involve serious offences including murder, attempt to murder, abduction with intent to murder, causing disappearance of evidence, house trespass, rioting with arms and deadly weapons,” East Midnapore police said in a statement on Saturday.

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.

“All the cases against Pradhan were registered during the anti-land acquisition movement in 2007. 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. They will distribute leaflets,” Subhankar Sarkar, state Congress president told the media.

The police, however, said that Pradhan has bene absconding all these years. A senior official said that Pradhan stands chargesheeted in the cases as an absconder. Execution of long-pending non-bailable warrants is a standing instruction of the Election Commission of India in respect of all elections and by-elections.