Congress says it won’t back down after Nandigram candidate’s arrest

In the upcoming Nandigram by-elections, the Congress candidate Milan Pradhan has been placed under judicial custody until October 3. According to a senior police officer, Pradhan was brought before a court in Haldia, and his bail plea was denied. Despite this, he remains eligible to contest the poll. However, his absence will prevent him from campaigning for the elections scheduled for October 6.

The voters of Nandigram may miss seeing Pradhan during the campaign period, with no posters or banners to guide them. Subhankar Sarkar, the state Congress president, urged the people of Nandigram to support Pradhan by voting through the EVM. The police stated that Pradhan was arrested due to four pending non-bailable arrest warrants, linked to serious offences such as murder, attempt to murder, and abduction with intent to murder.

The cases involve 14 deaths from a 2007 bloody agitation over land acquisition. Pradhan, who has been on the run for 19 years, claimed that the ruling party is fearful. Several senior Congress leaders were present in the court when Pradhan was produced, including the state Congress president, who accused the ruling party of abusing power and arresting those who support Mamata Banerjee.