Two days before repolling in West Bengal’s Falta assembly constituency, Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan has withdrawn from the contest, dealing a fresh blow to Mamata Banerjee’s party that has already lost the state to the BJP.
Khan, addressing reporters earlier on Tuesday, announced his decision to withdraw. The TMC leader cited his dream of a “Golden Falta” and, in sync with that, West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari’s promise of a special package for the constituency, among reasons for his backing out.
The TMC had, in response to this, separated itself from the step and said it was Khan’s “personal decision”. The party further alleged that several TMC workers were arrested in Falta alone, while claiming “intimidation through agencies”.
The Election Commission of India has ordered fresh elections in Falta to be held on May 21 (Thursday), citing “severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process”.
The results for the election will be announced on May 24. Already, the BJP has won the overall assembly contest in the state, securing 207 out of the 293 seats. The TMC won 80 seats.
Falta is polling now repolling as massive protests had been reported from the area on the original polling day, with some locals alleging they were receiving threats from the TMC cadre.
The Election Commission of India on May 3 ordered the repolling across all 285 polling stations in the constituency, citing severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during the polling that was held in the second and final phase on April 29. The poll panel said repoll across all the booths, including auxiliary polling stations, will be held between 7 am and 6 pm on May 21.
‘Sonar Falta’, ‘special package’: Jahangir Khan’s reasons for withdrawal
Khan, while informing reporters regarding his decision, said, “I am the son of the soil. I am stepping aside to ensure peace and prosperity for Falta and for its people.”
He added, “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 had been in the news before polling in Falta, which was initially scheduled to be held as part of the second phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal on April 29.
A purported clip of Ajay Pal Sharma, a police poll observer, purportedly threatening the TMC candidate went viral, according to an earlier HT report. Khan had responded to this saying he was not afraid of threats.
‘Party workers arrested, offices vandalised’: TMC’s response to Khan’s decision
In a statement after Khan’s withdrawal, the TMC said it was his “personal decision and not that of the party,” while adding that some of its members had “succumbed to the pressure.”
“Since the election results were declared on May 4, more than 100 of our party workers have been arrested in Falta AC alone. Several party offices have been vandalised, shut down, and forcibly captured in broad daylight through intimidation,” the party said in a post on X, while claiming that the ECI had “turned a blind eye” to its complaints.
The TMC further said that its workers “remain rock-solid and continue to resist the BJP’s intimidation unleashed through agencies and the administration.” It “strongly” condemned those who it said had chosen to “step away from the field.”
