Mamata faction withdraws Rejinagar nominee, exits both West Bengal bypolls
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Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress has suffered another setback in West Bengal after its candidate for the Rejinagar Assembly by-election, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, withdrew his nomination on Saturday.
The decision came a day after the faction’s nominee for the Nandigram bypoll, Sanchita Dey Pradhan, also pulled out of the race following a meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
The latest withdrawal follows Mamata Banerjee’s indication on Friday that her faction was reconsidering its participation in Rejinagar. She had said the faction would support the Congress candidate in Nandigram but would take a later decision on Rejinagar.
Chowdhury said party workers were unwilling to campaign using the new symbol allotted to the faction by the Election Commission of India (ECI). He also alleged that activists had faced administrative pressure and that several workers had been arrested, making it difficult for the faction to contest the election.
According to Chowdhury, the decision to withdraw was taken after discussions with Banerjee.
The faction’s exit from both constituencies means that, for the first time since 1998, a West Bengal election will be held without a party founded and led by Banerjee contesting the polls.
The ECI on Friday allotted the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and the symbol “Football Player” to Banerjee’s faction. The rival group led by Ritabrata Banerjee was given the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the symbol “Envelope”.
The poll panel had earlier frozen the original party name, “All India Trinamool Congress”, along with its traditional “Flowers & Grass” symbol.
Polling for the Nandigram and Rejinagar by-elections will take place on October 6, while counting is scheduled for October 9.
The Rejinagar bypoll was necessitated after AJUP leader Humayun Kabir, who won from both Rejinagar and Naoda in the Assembly elections held earlier this year, retained the Naoda seat. His son, Golam Nabi Azad, is contesting the by-election as the AJUP nominee.
(Inputs from IANS)