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West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday said that the "Sanatana and nationalist cause" will emerge victorious in the upcoming Nandigram Assembly bypoll, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Hasirani Rath as its candidate.
Speaking to ANI, Adhikari said, "Sanatan will triumph; the nationalist cause will triumph." The statement comes ahead of the Nandigram bypoll, which has witnessed a significant political development after former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced that she would extend support to the Congress in the constituency, calling the decision one taken in the "greater interest of the nation". Mamata's TMC faction candidate Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) withdrew her nomination from the Nandigram Assembly constituency, leaving the faction without a candidate in the seat ahead of polling. The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, Congress has nominated Milan Pradhan, and the Communist Party of India (CPI) has fielded Shanti Gopal Giri for the Nandigram bypoll. The bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies in West Bengal are scheduled for October 6, with counting of votes on October 9. The Nandigram seat fell vacant after Suvendu Adhikari gave up the constituency and chose to retain Bhabanipur, where he defeated Mamata Banerjee in the 2026 Assembly elections. Meanwhile, Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested by Kolkata Police on the basis of four pending non-bailable warrants issued by courts in connection with cases registered in 2007, the police said on Saturday. According to the police, Pradhan, son of Prabir Pradhan alias Probodh Pradhan and a resident of Gangra village under Nandigram Police Station in Purba Medinipur district, was arrested on September 18 within the limits of Chandipur Police Station. The arrest was carried out during a special drive for execution of long-pending non-bailable warrants, as per the standing instructions of the Election Commission of India for elections and bye-elections, Kolkata Police said. The Congress has also questioned why action was taken against Pradhan at this stage despite the cases dating back to 2007. West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar said the party was initially unclear about the reason for the arrest and Pradhans whereabouts. Congress leaders have alleged political motivation behind the action. The BJP has rejected the allegations of political interference and maintained that police action was in accordance with law. A police officer cited in reports said the arrest was related to a pending warrant in a 2007 murder case and that such warrants are executed irrespective of elections. (ANI)
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