Nandigram Bypoll: Mamata Banerjee To Back Congress After Her Candidate Withdraws

West Bengal political developments took a fresh turn on Friday after Sanchita Pradhan De, the candidate chosen by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress faction for the Nandigram bypoll, withdrew from the contest.

Banerjee presented the move as a gesture of support for the INDIA coalition in its struggle against the BJP and declared that her camp will not field another candidate from Nandigram. She mentioned, “We are ready to fight it out. I want the BJP to go from India. Our full solidarity is with the INDIA alliance.”

She also mentioned talks with other leaders of the INDIA group, stating that AAP president Arvind Kejriwal had posted a message of solidarity and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had contacted her on Thursday.

The major announcement was made just hours after the Mamata-led Trinamool faction's candidate in Nandigram, Sanchita Pradhan De, withdrew her candidacy prior one month remaining in the October 6 bypoll.

After meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state secretariat in Nabanna, De withdrew. Sources initially characterized the meeting as a courtesy call, but it attracted notice because Adhikari is one of Banerjee's main political foes and a former Nandigram MLA.

The events took place during a tumultuous day for Banerjee's group, which was also given a new name and electoral emblem after the electoral Commission froze the name of the Trinamool Congress and its customary "flowers and grass" symbol due to a disagreement between the party's opposing factions.

Banerjee's group will run as the "Mamata All India Trinamool Congress" in the next by-elections, using a football player as their emblem. The name "Democratic Trinamool Congress" and an envelope have been given to the opposing group.

While the Election Commission weighs the conflicting claims to the Trinamool Congress name and symbol, the temporary arrangement will be in effect for the next by-elections.

The Trinamool Congress moniker and the "flowers and grass" emblem were frozen by the poll authority on Thursday, prohibiting any group from utilizing the political identity connected to the party since its founding in 1998.

Banerjee responded angrily to the Election Commission's ruling, accusing it of "political bias and vendetta" and referring to it as a "black day" in India's democratic history.

She also raised questions regarding the choice to freeze the party's name and emblem, claiming that it was done to appease a political party's "ego."

Banerjee further claimed that her faction's employees were being targeted and that their accounts had been suspended. She asserted that party employees were under pressure to change sides and that the police had turned into a "arm" of the ruling BJP.

She added that she was under house arrest and couldn't meet workers, and that almost 14,000 party workers were in jail.

"We will never bow down our head and we will bounce back," Banerjee said, hinting that her group will contest the EC's agreement.

"I cannot leave All India Trinamool Congress until I leave this world," she said in an attempt to emphasize her claim to the political legacy of the party she created.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susmita Modak

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Always love to raise the unraised matter. In a world of worries, I am always ready to come over my comfort zone and taking the step ahead of spreading awareness.

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