Police arrested Saiful Islam, an independent candidate contesting the Rejinagar Assembly by-election, in Berhampore on Saturday (September 19).
According to police, the arrest relates to a five-year-old case involving a clash between two groups during the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. Islam is associated with Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP).
The arrest comes ahead of the October 6 bypolls in Rejinagar and Nandigram.
Milan Pradhan in judicial custody till October 3
The development followed the arrest of Congress’s Nandigram candidate Milan Pradhan.
Pradhan was arrested in connection with four pending non-bailable warrants related to cases registered during the 2007 anti-land acquisition agitation in Nandigram. Police said the cases include allegations of murder, attempt to murder, rioting, criminal intimidation and other offences.
A court in Haldia subsequently sent Pradhan to judicial custody until October 3. The arrest and custody do not automatically disqualify him from contesting the election, but his custody limits his ability to campaign before the October 6 poll.
The allegations against Pradhan are part of pending cases and do not amount to a conviction.
AJUP leader held with fake currency and weapons
Separately, AJUP state secretary Ashiq Iqbal was arrested during a vehicle check in Murshidabad, according to police.
Police recovered 108 counterfeit Rs 500 notes, two firearms and four rounds of ammunition from the vehicle. Another person travelling with Iqbal was also arrested.
The Rejinagar bypoll also saw uncertainty over the candidate backed by the Mamata Banerjee faction.
Rabiul Alam Chowdhury initially announced that he would withdraw from the contest but reversed the decision within hours. He later said he would remain in the race after speaking with Mamata Banerjee.
Chowdhury had cited problems related to the party’s new election symbol and difficulties faced by party workers. He later announced that he would contest the election with the newly allotted symbol.
TMC name and symbol dispute
The developments come amid an internal dispute within the Trinamool Congress.
The Election Commission has frozen the original TMC name and the ‘Jora Ghash Phul’ symbol amid the dispute between rival factions. For the bypolls, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction has been allotted the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Football Player symbol, while the rival faction has been allotted Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope symbol.
Mamata Banerjee has challenged the Election Commission’s decision in the Supreme Court.
Bengal bypolls on October 6
The arrests and candidate-related developments have added another layer to the political contest in Rejinagar and Nandigram.
The two Assembly seats are scheduled to vote on October 6, with the developments involving candidates, pending criminal cases and the TMC’s internal dispute shaping the run-up to polling.
