Mamata Banerjee’s Rejinagar candidate quits, then makes U-turn hours later; what happened

Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee’s camp faced another dramatic twist ahead of the October 6 West Bengal bypolls after its Rejinagar candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury announced his withdrawal from the contest on Saturday, only to reverse the decision within hours.

Chowdhury, a former Trinamool Congress MLA, initially said he would step away from the Rejinagar race, citing difficulties faced by grassroots workers and the challenge of campaigning with a new election symbol. He later returned to the contest after speaking to Mamata Banerjee and receiving assurances about the security of party workers.

The sudden U-turn came a day after the Mamata faction’s Nandigram candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her candidature, triggering another round of political developments ahead of the two bypolls. Both Nandigram and Rejinagar are scheduled to vote on October 6.

Why did Rabiul Alam Chowdhury initially withdraw?

Speaking to reporters from his home in Murshidabad, Chowdhury said it had become difficult to motivate grassroots workers who, according to him, were facing repeated harassment.

He also pointed to another challenge: voters had little time to become familiar with the new election symbol allotted to Mamata Banerjee’s faction.

The Election Commission has allotted the footballer symbol to the Mamata faction, which is contesting under the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress amid the ongoing dispute between rival factions over the party’s name and traditional symbol.

Chowdhury said he had informed Mamata Banerjee about his decision the previous night.

Chowdhury later called another press conference and announced that he would remain in the Rejinagar contest.

He said Mamata Banerjee had intervened and directed him not to withdraw. He also said he had met officers at the Beldanga police station and received assurances that he and his party workers would receive security during the campaign.

Chowdhury said he was therefore withdrawing his earlier decision and would continue the electoral fight.

He also asserted that he would continue campaigning even with a small number of workers.

Rejinagar twist comes after Nandigram candidate’s exit

The latest development follows the withdrawal of Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the Mamata faction’s candidate in Nandigram.

Pradhan Dey withdrew her candidature a day before the deadline after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state secretariat Nabanna. The reason for her withdrawal was not immediately clear.

With the Nandigram seat suddenly without a candidate from her faction, Mamata Banerjee announced support for Congress nominee Milan Pradhan. She described Congress as a “sister party” and said the move was aimed at strengthening the INDIA bloc ahead of the October 6 bypolls.

The situation then took another turn when Milan Pradhan was arrested in connection with criminal cases filed against him during the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram.

Why the TMC symbol dispute matters

The candidate withdrawals and reversals come against the backdrop of a bitter factional dispute within the Trinamool Congress.

The Election Commission has allotted the Mamata faction the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the footballer symbol. The rival faction led by Arup Roy has been assigned the name Democratic Trinamool Congress and the envelope symbol.

With agency inputs