Mamata Banerjee's Rejinagar pick withdraws from bypolls contest, then retracts

Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction's candidate for the Rejinagar Assembly bypoll, changed his decision to quit the contest on Saturday, saying he would remain in the race after Banerjee asked him to continue.Chowdhury, a former TMC MLA, had announced his withdrawal earlier in the day, citing difficulties in protecting party workers and introducing voters to the faction's newly allotted 'footballer' symbol.Hours later, he held another press conference and said he had reversed his decision after speaking to Banerjee and receiving assurances of security from the police.Candidate changes his mindChowdhury told news agency PTI at his home in Murshidabad earlier on Saturday, "It is becoming difficult for me to motivate grassroots workers who have been facing regular harassment. Also, it is an onerous task to familiarise the electorate with the new 'footballer' symbol in such a short time. In this given situation, last night I informed Mamata di about my decision (not to contest)... Let's see," he said.Later, he announced that he would contest the October 6 bypoll."I will be contesting the bypoll. I have been assured of security by the police after the supremo (Banerjee) intervened... I had a conversation with our party chief, who directed me not to quit the poll fray. I have met officers of the Beldanga police station and they have also assured me and my cadre of security during campaigning.""I am retracting from my earlier decision. I will see to it that none of our workers faces torture. Even if I have 10 activists, I will win," he added.Nandigram setback came firstThe confusion in Rejinagar came a day after the Mamata faction suffered a setback in Nandigram, where its candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination shortly before the deadline.Dey had met West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state secretariat Nabanna along with her husband Satyajit before pulling out. She had lost her job in connection with a teacher recruitment scam. The reason for her withdrawal was not immediately clear.With no candidate left, Banerjee announced support for Congress nominee Milan Pradhan, calling the Congress a "sister party" and saying the move was aimed at strengthening the INDIA bloc ahead of the October 6 bypoll.Pradhan was later arrested in connection with criminal cases filed against him during the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram.TMC split complicates bypoll battleThe developments have unfolded amid a bitter dispute within the Trinamool Congress over its name and traditional 'flowers-and-grass' symbol.The Election Commission has allotted Banerjee's faction the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' and the 'footballer' symbol. The rival faction led by Arup Roy has been given the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' and the 'envelope' symbol.Banerjee's camp accused the BJP government of "acting in an authoritarian manner to crush dissent and win the bypoll by a huge margin".BJP leader and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar rejected the charge, saying such allegations were expected from a "party centred on one person, whose activists had carried out attacks on the then opposition BJP after the 2021 assembly polls".With Chowdhury now back in the contest, the Mamata faction has retained its candidate in Rejinagar, while the Nandigram contest remains shaped by the withdrawal of its original nominee and its subsequent support for the Congress candidate.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.