Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 19: Congress will not withdraw its Nandigram Assembly bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan despite his arrest in an old case, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal said on Saturday. He said the Congress would also make the issue a national political matter.
Pradhan was arrested on Friday in connection with cases linked to the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement. The arrest came hours after former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced that her faction would support Pradhan after withdrawing its own candidate from the October 6 bypoll.
Venugopal alleged that the timing of the arrest raised serious questions. He claimed that Congress leaders who approached the police station were told that Pradhan was being held temporarily and alleged that pressure was being put on him to withdraw from the election.
According to Venugopal, Pradhan had made it clear that he would not withdraw from the contest. The Congress leader said the party would continue its campaign in Nandigram and that its workers would stand by Pradhan.
Venugopal also questioned the Election Commission’s response to the developments and asked how a candidate could be prevented from campaigning after filing his nomination. He alleged that the BJP was attempting to weaken Opposition voices in West Bengal.
“We will turn Nandigram into a national issue,” Venugopal said, while accusing the BJP of targeting the Opposition. He also alleged that the arrest was being used to put pressure on the Congress candidate. (PTI)
