KOLKATA: Another candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury nominated by Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress from Rejinagar assembly constituency in Murshidabad district on Saturday is all set to withdraw nomination for the upcoming bypolls within less than 24 hours after Sanchita Pradhan Dey, who was also fielded by the former West Bengal Chief Minister from Nandigram seat in Purba Medinipur, left the race on Friday afternoon.
Saturday is the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers. The bypolls in the high-voltage Nandigram and Rejinagar will be held on 6 October and counting is scheduled on 9 October.
High drama continued for yet another day since Friday with Rabiul Alam Choudhury’s decision to depart the contest from Rejinagar.
“Our party has got a new symbol and as a result of which, it becomes very difficult to engage supporters and workers for the upcoming battle on 6 October. Many of our party workers have been arrested by police. How is it possible to contest the bypolls amid this uncongenial situation?” Rabiul told the media today.
“How can I get people known about the new symbol of the party within short period? Considering this situation I have decided to withdraw my nomination from the elections,” he said.
Rabiul also said that he has already spoken to Mamata Banerjee and with her clearance he is withdrawing his nomination.
Trinamool Congress belonging to Mamata Banerjee won’t have any contestants in the by-elections in two assembly seats Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal following Rabiul’s decision.
Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, who is a Mamata Banerjee loyalist, while reacting to media said, “Yes, some problems are there. Trinamool Congress has no existence without Mamata Banerjee.”
On Friday, Sanchita withdrew her nomination minutes after she met the Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state PWD tent on Red Road in Kolkata.
Having lost the party and its symbol Mamata Banerjee decided to support the Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in the high-voltage Nandigram seat owing to withdrawal of nomination of Sanchita.Police arrested Congress-nominated candidate Milan from Nandigram assembly constituency on charge of his alleged involvement in an old murder case in 2007 on Friday evening hours after the former Chief Minister announced to support him in the by-elections.
According to Purba Medinipur police sources, Milan was allegedly involved in an old murder case and an arrest warrant had also been issued in his name. He was arrested on Friday, a day before the last date of filing nomination papers on 19 September.
The sudden arrest of the Congress candidate has triggered political tension in Nandigram assembly constituency where Suvendu Adhikari had contested twice in 2021 and 2026 Assembly elections on BJP ticket. Suvendu had won the seat by defeating his former counterpart Mamata Banerjee in 2021 elections.
In 2026 assembly polls held in April, Suvendu contested from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, home turf of Mamata in south Kolkata, and won from the two seats. He defeated Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur seat and resigned from Nandigram paving the way for the bypolls there.
BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of Chandranath Rath, slain personal assistant of Suvendu, from Nandigram while the Left Front, Indian Secular Front and rebel Trinamool belonging to Ritabrata Banerjee have also nominated candidates each.
While speaking to reporters at her Kalighat residence on Friday afternoon Mamata announced she would support the Congress candidate from Nandigram. Her party won’t never support BJP, she said.
She also said that her party’s strategy for Rejinagar seat would be announced later. The former Chief Minister spearheaded attacks on the Election Commission of India (ECI) accusing it of its ‘biased’ role for losing the name of the Trinamool Congress and its symbol ‘grasses and flowers’ (jora ghas phool) since its formation of the party in 1998.
“Today is a black day in the history of democracy, which is unfortunate, unconstitutional, anti-democratic and politically biased. It’s just fulfilling the interests of a particular political party,” she alleged.
The national poll body on Friday allotted separate names and election symbols to the two rival Trinamool Congress factions ahead of the October 6 Assembly bypolls, with the Mamata Banerjee-led group named ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and assigned the ‘Football Player’ symbol.
The faction led by Arup Roy was allotted the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Envelope’ symbol, according to an Election Commission order.
The interim arrangement follows the EC's order on Thursday night barring both factions from using the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) name and its reserved ‘Jora Ghash Phul’ (two flowers with grass) symbol for the upcoming bypolls.
The two groups were asked to submit preferred names and symbols by Friday morning.
The poll panel said the proposed names could retain a linkage with AITC, while the symbols had to be selected from the list of free or available symbols notified for Independents and registered unrecognised political parties.
