Following his initial decision to withdraw his nomination, Mamata-led Trinamool Congress candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury has now made a major U-turn and said he will contest the Rejinagar Assembly bypoll. Chowdhury said his decision came after a conversation with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, following which he decided to remain in the electoral race.
Pradhan was subsequently arrested in connection with a 2007 murder case, further altering the electoral contest in the constituency. Initialy Chowdhury, had announced his decision to withdraw his candidature. He had indicated that the new symbol would be difficult to establish among voters in a short period and announced that he would withdraw from the Rejinagar contest. After the Nandigram withdrawal, Mamata Banerjee announced support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in Nandigram.
The development came a day after Sanchita Dey Pradhan, the faction’s candidate for the Nandigram bypoll, withdrew from the contest.
Chowdhury had said the absence of the familiar party symbol and difficulties faced by party workers had made it difficult for him to campaign. Reports also said that he received assurances regarding the security of party workers before deciding to continue with his campaign. Chowdhury’s initial decision came amid the continuing dispute over the Trinamool Congress’ name and election symbol. The Election Commission has frozen the party’s original name and ‘Jora Phool’ symbol amid the dispute between rival factions and allotted new names and symbols to the two groups for the upcoming bypolls. The Mamata Banerjee-led faction was assigned the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress (MAITC) and the ‘Football Player’ symbol.
Earlier reporting noted: The withdrawals come amid a major organisational and electoral upheaval within the Trinamool Congress. Earlier reporting noted: Another blow for Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction, Rejinagar bypoll candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury withdraws candidature In another setback for the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress, its candidate for the Rejinagar Assembly bypoll, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, has withdrawn his candidature, on Saturday. Earlier reporting noted: The development comes on the same day that Sanchita Dey Pradhan, the faction’s candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll, withdrew her nomination after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday.
