Nandigram By Election: There has been a stir in the politics of West Bengal before the Nandigram Assembly by-election. Congress candidate Milan Pradhan has been arrested by the police in an old case. According to sources, this action has been taken regarding the murder case registered during the Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement in 2007. The police will now present him in Haldia court of East Medinipur district.
Milan Pradhan’s arrest took place at a time when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced her support in a press conference a few hours earlier, calling him a capable candidate. Congress has raised questions regarding this action taken after Mamata’s support.
Congress spokesperson Mita Chakraborty termed this arrest as a dictatorial attitude and said that the opposition is not going to back down from such action and pressure.
TMC candidate withdrew nomination
Before this, a big political development came to light in Nandigram by-election. Sanchita Pradhan (DE), the official candidate of ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’, withdrew her nomination papers after meeting Chief Minister Subhendu Adhikari in Nabanna.
After the withdrawal of nominations, no direct candidate from the Mamata camp was left in the fray on Nandigram seat, after which it was decided to support Congress candidate Milan Pradhan.
Nandigram by-election will be held on 6 October
Voting for Nandigram assembly seat is to be held on October 6. Earlier, the Election Commission had ordered to freeze the original ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ name and ‘flower and grass’ election symbol amid the ongoing controversy over TMC’s name and election symbol.
Developments like arrest of the candidate and withdrawal of nomination before the by-election have made the election battle of Nandigram more interesting.