{
  "id": 8416569,
  "title": "WB Bypolls 2026: Mamata’s Rejinagar Candidate Rabiul Chowdhury Takes U-Turn Amid Withdrawal Buzz",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/wb-bypolls-2026-mamatas-rejinagar-candidate-rabiul-chowdhury-takes-u",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-19T07:50:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/wb-bypolls-2026-mamatas-rejinagar-candidate-rabiul-chowdhury-takes-u-turn-amid-withdrawal-buzz"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Political tensions escalated within Mamata Banerjee's faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) as their Rejinagar bypoll candidate, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, announced his decision to remain in the electoral contest despite initially planning to withdraw. Chowdhury had cited pressure on party workers and challenges in campaigning with the new election symbol allotted to the faction, citing difficulty in representing the party effectively. Following his earlier withdrawal, Chowdhury claimed that party workers were being harassed and had left the area, making it impossible for him to contest the election on October 6. The TMC's factional dispute is further complicated by the withdrawal of Nandigram candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey, who also decided on Friday to step down after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The sudden shifts in support and candidate decisions have left the party without a standing candidate in two crucial Assembly constituencies. With the by-elections on the horizon, the political landscape remains fluid, with the BJP questioning the timing of Milan Pradhan's arrest in connection with a 2007 Nandigram land agitation case. The outcome of the October 6 polls and the subsequent counting on October 9 will likely have significant implications for the factional power struggle within the TMC.",
  "summary": "The political drama surrounding the upcoming West Bengal Assembly by-elections took another twist on Saturday, with Mamata Banerjee-led faction’s Rejinagar candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury saying he will not withdraw from the contest. Chowdhury had earlier announced his decision to withdraw his nomination, citing pressure on party workers and difficulties in campaigning with the new election…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}