Guwahati: Hours after Mamata Banerjee said her party would back the Congress nominee, the candidate was arrested in connection with the Nandigram bypoll in West Bengal.
The TMC nominee, Sanchita Pradhan De, pulled out of the contest on Saturday following Banerjee’s loss of the party’s name and election symbol to a rebel faction. Banerjee is the former supremo of the Trinamool Congress.
Banerjee’s decision to back the Congress candidate came in the Nandigram seat, where a bypoll became necessary after BJP chief minister Suvendu Adhikari contested elections from two constituencies.
Milan Pradhan, who is the Congress nominee, was taken into custody by police in an old murder case linked to the 2007 protests against land acquisition in Nandigram, according to reports.
The police department is directly controlled by Adhikari.
The Nandigram seat has been closely associated with the political careers of Banerjee and Adhikari, who was once a trusted lieutenant of the former TMC leader.
The arrested candidate could be presented before the Haldia court on Saturday.
Candidates have Saturday as the final day to submit their nomination papers.
Pradesh Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar accused the BJP of attempting to establish one-party rule and questioned whether opposition politics would continue to have a place in the country.