Milan Pradhan, a Congress candidate, was arrested on Friday in West Bengal due to his alleged involvement in a long-standing murder case. This development occurred just hours after former chief minister Mamata Banerjee declared her faction’s support for Pradhan’s candidacy in the upcoming Nandigram Assembly bypoll scheduled for October 6. The timing of the arrest raises questions about its potential impact on the election campaign and the political landscape in the region.
“Today, Mamata Banerjee, the former Chief Minister, extended her support to Milan Pradhan. Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination on Friday, leaving the Mamata faction without a candidate in the constituency. “If you resort to intimidation, refusing to give space to the opposition, do you want autocracy or democracy in this country? If you think you can stop the Congress or the opposition through such threats, then you are likely under a complete misconception,” she added. The development came amid a series of political shifts in Nandigram ahead of the bypoll. She had reportedly met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at Nabanna before withdrawing from the contest. The developments followed the Election Commission of India’s decision to bar the rival TMC factions from using the party’s name and traditional ‘Flowers and Grass’ symbol for the upcoming bypolls. The Mamata Banerjee-led faction was allotted the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Football Player’ symbol, while the rival faction was allotted the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Envelope’ symbol. Both factions were recognised as political parties in West Bengal, Meghalaya and Tripura. The Rejinagar seat became vacant after Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir resigned from the constituency after winning both Rejinagar and Nowda. The Mamata faction has fielded Rabiul Alam Chowdhury there, while Congress has nominated Mohammed Abdullahil Kafi and the CPI(M) has fielded Advocate Sayeed, Asad Ali.
Within just a few hours, he was arrested,” Chakraborty said.
