Archive · 18 Sep 2026
Nandigram Congress Candidate Arrested After Mamata Support Announcement
Milan Pradhan is the Congress candidate in an election in Nandigram.
Police arrested him over an old murder case linked to protests in 2007.
The arrest happened only a few hours after Mamata Banerjee said her faction would support him.
Police said the arrest was based on a pending warrant and was unrelated to the election.
They said officers review old warrants during every election.
Congress and Banerjee’s faction criticized the arrest and asked for Pradhan to be released.
Banerjee’s own candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, had withdrawn after meeting Suvendu Adhikari.
The Election Commission also gave rival Trinamool factions different names and symbols for the bypoll.
Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested in West Bengal over an alleged murder case dating to the 2007 Nandigram land agitation.
The arrest came hours after Mamata Banerjee announced that her faction would support Congress in the October 6 Nandigram Assembly bypoll.
Police sources said a pending arrest warrant was found during a routine review and that Pradhan had no court protection.
Congress and Mamata Banerjee’s faction criticized the arrest, demanded Pradhan’s release, and targeted the BJP.
The Election Commission froze the original Trinamool Congress name and symbol, assigning different names and symbols to rival factions.
- Who
- Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, Mamata Banerjee, the Congress, police, and rival Trinamool Congress factions are central to the developments.
- What
- Pradhan was arrested in an alleged old murder case shortly after Banerjee announced support for his Nandigram bypoll campaign.
- When
- The arrest occurred on Friday, hours after Banerjee’s announcement, ahead of the October 6 bypoll; the case dates to 2007.
- Where
- Nandigram, West Bengal, India.
- Why
- Police said they acted on a pending arrest warrant discovered during a routine election-period review; Banerjee said her support was intended to strengthen the INDIA bloc.
Political and opposition concerns
Police and electoral explanations
Meaning of the arrest timing
Political and opposition concerns
Congress and Mamata Banerjee’s faction criticized the arrest, demanded Pradhan’s release, and targeted the BJP after it occurred soon after Banerjee’s support announcement.
Police and electoral explanations
A senior police officer said the arrest had nothing to do with the bypoll and followed a routine review of old pending arrest warrants.
Mamata Banerjee’s support
Political and opposition concerns
Banerjee described Congress as a sister party and said supporting it in Nandigram would help strengthen the INDIA bloc.
Police and electoral explanations
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Banerjee was free to make the announcement but emphasized that Congress had not asked for her support.
Trinamool faction identities
Political and opposition concerns
The Mamata Banerjee faction was assigned the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Football Player symbol.
Police and electoral explanations
The rival faction led by Arup Roy was assigned Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope symbol after the original name and symbol were frozen.
- Candidate arrested
- Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll.
- Alleged case
- An old murder case connected to the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition protests.
- Police explanation
- A senior officer said a pending warrant was found during a routine review and that Pradhan had no legal protection from a court.
- Bypoll date
- October 6.
- Support announcement
- Mamata Banerjee said her faction would support the Congress candidate after its own candidate withdrew.
- Congress response
- Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Congress had not requested Banerjee’s support.
- Election Commission decision
- The panel froze use of the All India Trinamool Congress name and traditional flowers-and-grass symbol for the bypoll, then assigned new names and symbols to rival factions.
