Mamata Faction's Nandigram Candidate Withdraws From Bypoll
Mamata Banerjee's faction suffers another setback as its Nandigram bypoll candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdraws, a day after the Election Commission froze the Trinamool name and symbol.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress has lost its candidate for the Nandigram bypoll, with Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrawing from the contest. The development comes a day after the Election Commission froze the party's name and symbol, denying both the Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee factions their use for the bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar.
Dey, a teacher at Boyal Primary School in Nandigram, had been announced as the candidate on Sunday after prolonged uncertainty over whether Banerjee herself would enter the fray from the seat and return to the Assembly. Her selection had drawn attention, given that she was seen as a low-profile choice for a constituency of considerable political and emotional significance.
She had lost her job after the cancellation of appointments of 26,000 teachers in connection with the alleged teachers' recruitment scam.
Sources said Dey met West Bengal Chief Minister and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday, the same day the poll panel announced the freeze on the Trinamool name and symbol.
Her withdrawal was announced on Friday afternoon, shortly after Banerjee began a press conference criticising the Election Commission's decision and alleging a BJP role in it.
Nandigram is the Assembly constituency where Banerjee, as chief of the party now styled the Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, was defeated in 2021 by her former lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari.