Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 19: The Trinamool Congress candidate for the Falta state Assembly constituency in West Bengal, Jahangir Khan, on Tuesday announced retirement from the inconsequential re-poll which the party said was his “personal decision” and re-iterating its resolve to continue to fight against the “Bangla Birodhi BJP” relentlessly both in the state and at the national level in Delhi,
Announcing his decision to withdraw from the contest two days before the scheduled re-polling on Thursday, Jahangir Khan told the media persons that he decided to withdraw “in the larger interest of Falta.” “I am a son of Falta and my objective is to ensure peace and security in Falta, and to foster its maximum possible development. My vision was ‘Sonar Falta.’ Our Chief Minister is providing a special package for the people of Falta; it is for this very reason that I am withdrawing my nomination. I have withdrawn my candidature in the interest of Falta’s development and peace,” Khan said.
The TMC candidate’s announcement of withdrawal came on the last day of the campaign when the incumbent Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was holding a roadshow in the area in support of BJP candidate Debangshu Panda. Commenting on the development, Mr Adhikari said Khan “ran away” from the May 21 repolling as he would not get any polling agents. “He had no other way, as he won’t get a polling agent, so he decided to run away,” the CM told reporters.
No rally or public meeting has been conducted in the constituency by Jahangir Khan or senior party leaders, including former chief minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, in whose Lok Sabha constituency Diamond Harbour falls the Falta constituency, during the campaign period since May 4.
The Calcutta High Court on Monday had granted protection to Jahangir Khan from any coercive action by the police until May 26 in connection with criminal cases filed against him. The votes for the re-polling is scheduled to be counted on May 24.
The TMC has distanced itself from Khan’ decision to withdraw from the re-poll claiming that it was made in his personal capacity and did not reflect the party’s official stand. In a strongly worded statement, the party alleged that its workers and supporters in Falta have been subjected to sustained political intimidation since the declaration of election results on May 4. According to the TMC, more than 100 party workers have been arrested in the constituency over the past few weeks.
“The decision taken by Jahangir Khan to withdraw from the Falta re-poll is his personal decision and not that of the party. Since the election results were declared on 4th May, more than 100 of our party workers have been arrested in Falta alone. Several party offices have been vandalised, shut down and forcibly captured in broad daylight through intimidation, while the EC continues to turn a blind eye despite repeated complaints,” the Trinamool said in a statement.
The party maintained that it will continue to “resist the BJP’s intimidation.” “Our workers remain rock-solid and continue to resist the BJP’s intimidation unleashed through agencies and the administration. However, some eventually succumbed to the pressure and chose to step away from the field. We strongly condemn this. Our fight against the Bangla Birodhi BJP will continue – both in West Bengal and in Delhi,” the statement added.
The Falta repoll has drawn national attention because of the disturbances created in the constituency during the second phase polling in the state on April 29 with several complaints of alleged electoral malpractices emerging. At several polling booths, the EVM buttons corresponding to the names and symbols of BJP candidates were allegedly covered with white tape.
Special poll observer Subrata Gupta, currently serving as adviser to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, visited Falta and conducted an inquiry into the allegations. Based on Gupta’s findings, the Election Commission ordered repolling across the entire Falta Assembly constituency. The Election Commission on May 2 directed repolling at all 285 polling stations, including auxiliary booths, in the Falta Assembly Constituency. The poll panel stated that widespread electoral malpractices and serious disruptions to the democratic process were reported across several polling stations during voting on April 29.
The BJP, however, has already won a massive mandate with 207 seats in the 294-member state Assembly throwing out from power the TMC which has been reduced to mere 80 seats. The BJP has already formed the government in the state under Mr Adhikari’s chief ministership.