Congress candidate Milan Pradhan’s arrest ahead of the October 6 Nandigram bypoll has triggered a political dispute in West Bengal. Rahul Gandhi described the arrest as “political revenge” and alleged that it amounted to an attack on democracy, while the BJP rejected the charge and said the police action was connected to pending cases rather than the election.
Pradhan was arrested on September 18 in connection with cases dating back to the 2007 Nandigram land-acquisition movement. Police sources said a pending arrest warrant existed against him, while reports indicate that the cases include serious charges such as murder and rioting. A police officer cited by the Indian Express said authorities review old pending warrants during elections and maintained that the arrest was unrelated to the bypoll.
The timing became a major point of contention because the arrest followed the withdrawal of Mamata Banerjee’s faction candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, and Banerjee’s subsequent announcement that her faction would support Pradhan in Nandigram. Banerjee questioned why the old case was being acted upon at this stage, while Congress leaders also alleged political targeting.
The Bengal BJP rejected those allegations, arguing that police were acting on pending legal proceedings. The Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for October 6, with counting set for October 9, making Pradhan’s arrest a significant development in the campaign.
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