- EC froze TMC’s symbol, name amid party dispute.
- Nandigram candidate withdrew; Mamata’s Congress nominee arrested.
- Rejinagar candidate announced withdrawal, then reversed decision swiftly.
An intense political drama unfolded in West Bengal over the past 72 hours, with Mamata Banerjee’s camp losing a candidate in Nandigram, facing a freeze on the Trinamool Congress’ familiar name and symbol, backing a Congress candidate who was later arrested, and then watching another candidate briefly announce his withdrawal before making a dramatic U-turn.
The sequence of events has left the Mamata Banerjee-led faction navigating one political setback after another ahead of the October 6 bypolls.
Day 1: Mamata loses TMC’s name and symbol
The first major setback came when the Election Commission froze the Trinamool Congress’ familiar name and its traditional ‘flowers-and-grass’ symbol amid the factional dispute within the party.
The decision came as the Mamata Banerjee-led faction and the rival camp led by Arup Roy staked competing claims over the party’s identity.
The ECI later allotted the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘football player’ symbol to Banerjee’s faction for the bypolls. The rival faction was allotted the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘envelope’ symbol.
For Mamata, the change meant entering the bypoll battle under a new name and temporary symbol rather than the TMC identity voters have long associated with her party.
Day 2: Nandigram candidate withdraws
The next shock came from Nandigram.
Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the TMC candidate fielded by Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, withdrew her nomination a day before the deadline after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
Dey, who had lost her job in connection with the teacher recruitment scam, met Adhikari along with her husband, Satyajit. She later announced her withdrawal, although her reasons were not immediately clear.
The development left Mamata’s faction without a candidate in a constituency considered an Adhikari stronghold.
Mamata then backed Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, describing the Congress as a “sister party”.
Same day: Mamata-backed Congress candidate arrested
The reprieve was short-lived.
Hours after Mamata announced support for Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate was arrested in connection with cases dating back to the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram.
East Midnapore Police said Pradhan was arrested in connection with four pending non-bailable warrants. The cases involve charges including murder, attempt to murder, abduction with intent to murder, disappearance of evidence, house trespass and rioting with arms and deadly weapons.
The Congress questioned the timing of the arrest, pointing out that the cases were registered during the 2007 movement and asking why Pradhan was arrested after he filed his nomination.
“If our candidate is sent to jail, thousands of Milan Pradhans will take to the streets in Nandigram and campaign. They will distribute leaflets,” West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar said.
Police, however, said Pradhan had been absconding for years and was chargesheeted as an absconder. A senior official said the execution of long-pending non-bailable warrants is a standing Election Commission instruction during elections and bypolls.
Day 3: Rejinagar candidate announces withdrawal
Just when the Nandigram episode appeared to have settled into another controversy, a fresh crisis emerged in Rejinagar.
At around 10:50 am on Saturday, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, a former TMC MLA and Mamata’s candidate from Rejinagar, told reporters in Murshidabad that he was likely to withdraw his nomination.
Chowdhury said he had spoken to Mamata on Friday night and cited alleged pressure and threats of arrest against party workers as one of the reasons behind his decision.
“Our workers are being pressured and threatened with arrests. Some have also been arrested. They are not being able to campaign. We are planning to step aside. I spoke to Banerjee last night and told her everything. She asked me to take the call. Secondly, we will have to contest with a new symbol. I am planning to withdraw my nomination,” he said.
The announcement appeared to leave Mamata facing another candidate crisis, this time in Rejinagar.
Two hours later: Rabiul Chowdhury takes U-turn
But the latest setback lasted less than two hours.
Around 12:30 pm, Chowdhury reversed his decision and said he would contest the bypoll and begin campaigning.
“I had a word with Banerjee. I will start campaigning. Senior leaders of the party will come to Rejinagar to campaign for me. Banerjee may also come,” he said.
The U-turn means Mamata’s faction has again retained its candidate in Rejinagar, after the candidate himself had announced that he was preparing to withdraw.
Mamata’s 72-hour roller-coaster
In just three days, Mamata Banerjee’s faction has faced a series of rapid developments ahead of the Bengal bypolls.
First came the loss of the TMC’s familiar name and ‘flowers-and-grass’ symbol. Then her Nandigram candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination after meeting Suvendu Adhikari.
Mamata subsequently backed Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, only for him to be arrested in connection with old cases.
And on Saturday, Rejinagar candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury announced that he would withdraw his nomination, before reversing his decision within two hours.
From losing a candidate and the party’s familiar symbol to backing a new candidate in Nandigram and then getting her Rejinagar candidate back, Mamata’s last 72 hours have been marked by a series of dramatic twists ahead of the October 6 bypolls.
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