The political developments surrounding the upcoming West Bengal Assembly bypolls have taken another turn. A day after the Mamata Banerjee-led faction’s candidate withdrew from Nandigram, its candidate from Rejinagar, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, has also withdrawn his nomination.

Chowdhury announced his decision on Saturday, the final day for withdrawal of nominations. With his withdrawal, the Mamata-led faction will no longer have its own candidate in the Rejinagar constituency. The same situation had already emerged in Nandigram after Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination a day earlier. 

Chowdhury cited difficulties related to the new election symbol and campaigning on the ground. He said that making the new symbol familiar to voters was proving difficult. He also referred to a lack of readiness among workers and pressure affecting the campaign. Reports have also quoted him as saying that workers were facing difficulties in campaigning.

 What happened in Nandigram

The development in Rejinagar came a day after Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the Mamata camp’s candidate in Nandigram, withdrew her nomination. Following her withdrawal, Mamata Banerjee announced support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in Nandigram.

The Nandigram contest then saw another major development when Milan Pradhan was arrested in connection with an old 2007 murder case linked to the Nandigram land agitation. The arrest became a subject of political disagreement, with different parties giving different interpretations of the timing and circumstances. 

 Dispute over party name and election symbol

The withdrawals have taken place amid an ongoing dispute between rival factions of the Trinamool Congress. The Election Commission has issued an interim arrangement under which the rival groups cannot use the original party name and traditional symbol for the upcoming bypolls.

The faction led by Mamata Banerjee has been allotted the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and a new “Football Player” symbol. The rival faction has been allotted the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol. 

The change in party identity and symbol has created a new challenge for candidates who were preparing to contest the bypolls under the earlier party identity. Rabiul Alam Chowdhury also cited the difficulty of establishing the new symbol among voters as one of the reasons for his withdrawal.

 Polling scheduled for October 6

The Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls are scheduled for October 6. The contests are taking place against the backdrop of the internal dispute within the Trinamool Congress, the allocation of new names and symbols, and the withdrawal of candidates backed by the Mamata-led faction. 

With the withdrawal of candidates in both constituencies, the Mamata-led faction will not have its own candidate in either seat. In Nandigram, the faction has announced support for the Congress candidate, while in Rejinagar the withdrawal leaves the remaining candidates to contest the seat.

The developments have made party identity, election symbols and factional disputes important issues alongside the direct electoral contest in the two constituencies.