Kolkata: The Nandigram Assembly by-election in West Bengal took a dramatic turn on Friday after a series of political and legal developments unfolded within a few hours.
Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the candidate of the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, withdrew from the election. Soon afterwards, Mamata Banerjee announced that her faction would support Congress candidate Milan Pradhan. Within hours of that announcement, Pradhan was arrested by the police in connection with old cases dating back to the 2007 Nandigram land acquisition movement.
The Nandigram by-election is scheduled for October 6. The seat became vacant after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari resigned from Nandigram after the 2026 Assembly elections and retained Bhabanipur.
Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdraws
Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her candidature from the Nandigram contest on Friday. Her withdrawal came after a meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
The reason for her withdrawal has not been publicly established in full. Following the withdrawal, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction decided not to field another candidate and instead announced support for Congress nominee Milan Pradhan.
Banerjee presented the decision as an effort to consolidate opposition votes in the constituency.
Milan Pradhan arrested hours after support announcement
Milan Pradhan was arrested by the police shortly after Mamata Banerjee announced her faction's support for his candidature.
Police sources have said the arrest was connected to old cases from the 2007 Nandigram land acquisition agitation and that warrants were pending against Pradhan.
The timing of the arrest immediately became a political issue because it took place only hours after Banerjee's announcement.
Congress and the Mamata faction questioned the timing and alleged political motivation. The state government and BJP, however, rejected the allegation and maintained that the police had acted in accordance with existing legal proceedings.
Cases linked to the 2007 Nandigram movement
The cases against Milan Pradhan date back to the period of the 2007 protests against land acquisition in Nandigram.
According to police records cited in reports, Pradhan has been named as an accused in multiple cases. Three of the cases reportedly include charges under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code relating to murder.
The cases include allegations involving rioting, unlawful assembly, criminal trespass, murder, intimidation, serious injury, abduction and destruction of evidence. Some of the cases also include provisions of the Arms Act.
The final determination of Pradhan's role in these cases remains a matter for the judicial process.
Congress questions timing of arrest
Following the arrest, Congress leaders described the action as politically motivated. The party argued that an old case was being used at a crucial point in the election process.
Rahul Gandhi also questioned the timing of the arrest and described it as political retaliation. He said Congress would continue to contest the election despite the development.
These are political allegations made by Congress leaders and have not been established as a judicial finding.
Mamata Banerjee raises questions
Mamata Banerjee also questioned why the arrest took place shortly after her faction announced support for Pradhan.
She alleged that an old case had been revived at a politically sensitive moment and raised concerns about the use of government agencies during the election process.
The BJP and the state government rejected such allegations and said that the police action was connected to pending cases and legal warrants.
Ritabrata Banerjee's faction gives a different account
Another important part of the Nandigram political equation is the dispute within the Trinamool Congress.
The faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, which is contesting the by-election under the name Democratic Trinamool Congress, has said that it had complained against Milan Pradhan.
Ritabrata Banerjee has claimed that several criminal cases against Pradhan were pending and that the police acted on existing warrants. He argued that serving such warrants during the election process was part of the legal procedure.
This has resulted in two sharply different political interpretations of the same arrest: one side has questioned the timing and alleged political retaliation, while the other has described it as enforcement of an existing legal process.
Nandigram's political significance
Nandigram has remained one of the most politically significant constituencies in West Bengal. The constituency became particularly prominent after the high-profile electoral contest between Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari in the 2021 Assembly election.
The 2026 Assembly election and the subsequent vacancy of the Nandigram seat have again placed the constituency at the centre of state politics.
The dispute between rival Trinamool factions, changes in party names and symbols, the withdrawal of one candidate and the arrest of another have now added several new dimensions to the by-election.
Two Trinamool factions in the contest
Ahead of the by-election, the Election Commission assigned separate names and symbols to the two rival Trinamool factions.
The faction led by Mamata Banerjee was assigned the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Football Player symbol. The faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee was assigned the name Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope symbol.
The dispute over the party name and symbol has added another layer to the electoral contest.
### Who is in the Nandigram contest?
After Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew, the Mamata-led faction announced its support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan.
The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath. The Left Front, Indian Secular Front and the Ritabrata Banerjee-led Democratic Trinamool Congress faction are also contesting the by-election. ([The New Indian Express][1])
Milan Pradhan's arrest has now raised additional legal and political questions regarding his campaign and the election process.
The coming days will be important as the legal proceedings surrounding the old cases and the electoral process move forward. The Nandigram by-election has already become a closely watched contest because of the rapid changes in candidates, alliances and the ongoing legal controversy.
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