Rejinagar bypoll: Mamata's candidate does U-turn, says not withdrawing
Meanwhile, Mamata has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission's decision to freeze the Trinamool Congress' name and party symbol amid a dispute between two rival factions of the TMC
Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) faction’s candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury on Saturday (September 19) did a U-turn and said he would contest the Rejinagar bypoll in West Bengal.
Earlier in the day, he had said he would withdraw from the contest.
“At this moment, the party lacks an official symbol. Party workers are being harassed in various ways, and most of them have left the area for work. With whom am I supposed to contest the election? Given the pressure being exerted by the administration, the workers say they cannot remain in the electoral fray. That is precisely why I have decided to withdraw my nomination,” Chowdhury said in the morning.
Also read: Whose Trinamool is it anyway? EC's toughest test since Sena
Later, he said he is reversing his decision after talking to Mamata. “I am reversing my decision to withdraw my candidature at Mamata Banerjee's behest. I will contest the election. I reconsidered my decision after Mamata Banerjee spoke to me.”
Nandigram candidate withdraws
On Friday, Mamata’s Nandigram bypoll candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew from the race hours after meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, prompting the former Chief Minister to back Congress nominee Milan Pradhan, who was arrested later in the day in a two-decade-old case.
Two Assembly bypolls in Bengal were necessitated as Chief Minister Adhikari won from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, and chose to vacate Nandigram, while AJUP leader Humayun Kabir won from both Naoda and Rejinagar, and decided to give up the Rejinagar seat.
Also read: ‘Black day in democracy’: Mamata attacks EC over TMC name, symbol freeze
The bypolls to Nandigram in East Medinipur district and Rejinagar in Murshidabad district are scheduled for October 6, with vote counting on October 9.
Mamata moves SC
Meanwhile, Mamata has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission's decision to freeze the Trinamool Congress' name and party symbol amid a dispute between two rival factions of the TMC.
In her plea filed in the apex court, Mamata has made the Election Commission and Ritabrata Banerjee, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, as party respondents.
On Friday, the Election Commission (EC) said the Mamata-led TMC will fight the bypolls on the 'Football Player' symbol, while the Arup Roy-led group will contest with 'Envelope' as its poll emblem.
The order came after the poll panel heard both sides locked in a dispute over who gets to use the party name and its symbol.
According to the EC order, the Mamata Banerjee faction has got the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ for the bypolls, while the rival group got the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress’.