Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested by West Bengal Police on September 18 in connection with pending cases dating back to the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement, hours after Mamata Banerjee announced that her faction would support his candidature in the October 6 Assembly bypoll. The arrest followed the withdrawal of Banerjee’s own nominee, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, leaving the Congress candidate as the joint Opposition-backed choice in Nandigram.
Congress and Banerjee questioned the timing and alleged political targeting, while the BJP said Pradhan was facing serious criminal cases and accused the Congress of politicising the matter. Police confirmed that the arrest related to a 2007 murder case, while reports said warrants had been pending in the cases.
Arrest Follows Sudden Shift In Nandigram Contest
Pradhan, a resident of Sonachura and a known figure from the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement, was taken into custody in Nandigram on Friday evening. His election affidavit reportedly lists 12 criminal cases registered in 2007, including four murder cases. According to The Times of India, all 12 cases remain pending before the Haldia Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court and charges have not been framed in them. Three warrants were reportedly issued in 2021 and another in 2023. A police officer confirmed that the arrest was connected to a 2007 murder case but did not publicly explain why action was taken at this stage.
The timing immediately became a political flashpoint. Mamata Banerjee had announced earlier that day that her faction would withdraw from the Nandigram contest and back Pradhan after its candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her candidature. Banerjee said the decision was intended to strengthen the INDIA bloc and that her faction was prepared to fight politically, democratically and legally. Soon after the arrest, she questioned why an old case was being acted upon immediately after her announcement.
Congress Questions Timing, BJP Points To Pending Cases
Congress leaders strongly objected to Pradhan’s arrest. West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar questioned where the candidate had been taken and said the party would approach the Election Commission and the High Court. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal also alleged that a 19-year-old case was being used to intimidate the Opposition. Rahul Gandhi similarly described the arrest as political revenge. These are political allegations and have not been independently established as the reason for the police action.
The BJP rejected the Congress’s allegations, arguing that Pradhan was already facing multiple serious criminal cases and that the cases predated the current political developments. The party questioned why the Congress had nominated a person whose election affidavit disclosed the pending cases. Meanwhile, a member of the rival Trinamool faction, Madan Mitra, said that if a case was pending, police could arrest the accused, while also criticising Banerjee’s decision to support the Congress.
Nandigram Poll Comes Amid TMC’s Internal Split
The arrest comes at a particularly volatile moment for West Bengal politics. The Nandigram bypoll was necessitated after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari vacated the seat to retain Bhabanipur. The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, whose son Chandranath Rath, an associate of Adhikari, was shot dead in May. The bypoll is scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9.
At the same time, the Election Commission has frozen the Trinamool Congress’s traditional name and election symbol amid a dispute between rival factions. For the bypolls, Banerjee’s faction has been allotted the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and a football-player symbol, while the rival faction led by Arup Roy has been allotted Democratic Trinamool Congress and an envelope symbol. Banerjee has challenged the Election Commission’s decision in the Supreme Court.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Elections are ultimately about citizens being able to make informed choices in a fair and peaceful environment. Pending criminal cases should be dealt with through due process, while political parties and authorities must avoid allowing allegations of political retaliation to overshadow the legal process. Equally, serious allegations against any candidate deserve transparent scrutiny rather than conclusions based solely on political claims. With Nandigram heading towards a closely watched bypoll, what steps can political parties and institutions take to ensure that the campaign remains focused on issues, accountability and the voters’ democratic rights?
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