Hours before the campaign for the fresh poll in West Bengal’s Falta assembly seat ended on Tuesday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Jahangir Khan said he was withdrawing from the contest, citing chief minister Suvendu Adhikari’s special package announcement for the constituency.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered a fresh election in Falta on May 21 (Thursday) over “severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process” during the second phase of the state assembly elections on April 29.
“I dreamt that Falta should become golden Falta. The chief minister has said that a special package would be announced for Falta. That is why I am stepping aside from contesting the repoll,” Khan said. “I am the son of the soil. I am stepping aside to ensure peace and prosperity for Falta and for its people.”
The announcement came as Adhikari was campaigning for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Debangshu Panda in Falta. TMC spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumdar refused to comment.
An ECI official called a candidate’s decision to step aside or withdraw from the contest a personal decision.
The repoll, whose results will be announced on May 24, is being held days after the BJP swept the assembly elections, winning 207 out of the 293 seats. The TMC bagged 80 seats.
Khan’s was in the news ahead of the second phase of polls on April 29 when a video clip of Ajay Pal Sharma, a police poll observer, purportedly threatening the TMC’s candidate went viral. Khan then responded, saying he was not afraid of threats.
On Monday, the Calcutta high court directed that no coercive steps until May 26 would be taken against Khan in cases against him.
