Rabiul Alam Chowdhury
Chowdhury first told the media at 10.52 am that there were several factors behind his decision to quit the bypoll fray. The drama in Rejinagar followed the party’s Nandigram candidate’s withdrawal from the fray on Friday and the arrest of Nandigram Congress candidate Milan Pradhan on charges dating back to 2007.
Kolkata: Rejinagar’s Mamata Trinamool Congress candidate, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, first withdrew from next month’s bypoll and then reversed his decision — pledging to fight the election “even with 10 workers” — in the span of less than two hours on Saturday morning. The morning drama came a day after the Friday nomination withdrawal by the party’s Nandigram bypoll candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, and two days after Election Commission ratified the loyalist faction’s new name (”Mamata All-India Trinamool Congress”) and new symbol (footballer). That is why we have decided to step aside,” he said outside his Beldanga party office. In close circles, however, Chowdhury had complained of “immense pressure and threats” to withdraw his nomination. He told party chief Mamata Banerjee of his decision, he said. “She (Didi) left it to me to decide,” he added. “I spoke to the Beldanga officer-in charge, who assured me of protection,” he said. “I will contest the election, if need be, with even 10 workers,” he said, adding: “I have reversed my decision to withdraw after speaking with Didi. I belong to Didi’s party and I will do whatever she says. “We will see what happens,” he said when asked about his earlier apprehensions regarding party workers’ security. Party seniors said Mamata called Chowdhury immediately after coming to know of his decision to quit and requested him not to leave the electoral battlefield.
“The party has a new symbol. We are unable to mobilise our workers. They are being pressured. Many have even been arrested. How are we supposed to fight? Didi has reassured me. They spoke at length on the phone and she managed to convince Chowdhury not to step down. That arrest occurred soon after the Mamata Trinamool made public its decision to support the Congress candidate once it became known that its own candidate (Pradhan Dey) was not in a position to fight the bypoll.
Pradhan Dey had met Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday.