Congress Nandigram Bypoll Candidate Arrested in Murder Case Hours After TMC Extends Support

Kolkata: Milan Pradhan, the Congress-nominated candidate for the October 6 Nandigram Assembly bypoll, was arrested in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district on Friday evening in connection with an old murder case, just hours after former chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced her party's backing for him. The arrest came a day before the September 19 nomination deadline, with police citing a previously issued warrant against him.

The move followed the withdrawal of Trinamool Congress candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey from the Nandigram race after she met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in Kolkata. Banerjee subsequently declared her party's support for Pradhan, only for his arrest to follow shortly after.

Banerjee condemned the timing of the arrest, calling it politically motivated and accusing the BJP of reviving an old case to target the opposition. She alleged a broader pattern of intimidation and claimed the Election Commission was colluding with the ruling party to undermine democratic processes. Congress leaders echoed the allegation, describing the arrest as an attempt to suppress opposition voices in the state, while the BJP denied any political motive, maintaining that the arrest followed due legal process.

Nandigram has become a major flashpoint between Banerjee and Adhikari, who defeated her there in 2021 and retained the seat in 2026 before resigning it, triggering the current bypoll. The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of Adhikari's slain aide, while the Left Front, Indian Secular Front fielded Shanti Gopal Giri.

Banerjee separately criticised the Election Commission's decision to bar both TMC factions from using the party's name and symbol, calling it unconstitutional and biased.