Twists and turns have marked the high-stakes West Bengal bypolls, with the latest involving Mamata Banerjee’s Rejinagar candidate, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, who withdrew his candidature only to make a U-turn hours later.
Chowdhury, who announced his withdrawal on Saturday morning, cited threats to his supporters and the short campaign period as reasons for his decision. He later said he would remain in the race.
Chowdhury’s U-turn came after a meeting with TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, who reportedly assured him of all possible assistance. He also visited the Beldanga police station, where he was assured of protection during the campaign.
The developments came a day after high drama unfolded following the Election Commission’s decision to allot separate names and symbols to the two rival factions of the Trinamool Congress.
The poll panel allotted Mamata Banerjee’s faction the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Football Player’ symbol for the October 6 bypolls to Nandigram and Rejinagar. The rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee was allotted the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Envelope’ symbol.
Soon after the EC announcement, the Mamata faction’s candidate for Nandigram, Sanchita Pradhan, withdrew from the contest, following which the party announced its support for the Congress candidate.
On Saturday morning, Chowdhury also announced that he would withdraw from the Rejinagar contest, saying his supporters were being threatened and that the short campaign period would not give voters enough time to familiarise themselves with the new party name and symbol.
Chowdhury was elected as a Congress MLA from Rejinagar in 2013 and 2016 before winning the constituency on a TMC ticket in 2021. In the 2026 Assembly elections, Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder and former TMC MLA Humayun Kabir won the seat. Kabir, who also won the Nowada constituency, later vacated Rejinagar, necessitating the bypoll.
Chowdhury’s withdrawal would have dealt a major setback to the Mamata faction in the bypolls, which are being seen as the first significant electoral test for the two rival groups.
Meanwhile, in Nandigram, where the TMC has announced its support for the Congress, the party’s candidate, Milan Pradhan, was arrested on Friday over his alleged involvement in at least four cases relating to rioting, murder and criminal intimidation filed during the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement.
The arrest has triggered a political row, with the Congress accusing the ruling BJP of attempting to intimidate its candidate and saying it would raise the issue at the national level.
“Within an hour of Mamata Banerjee extending support to the Congress candidate, the police took that candidate into custody,” AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal said.
With inputs from Prema Rajaram
