Mamata Banerjee has no candidates in two by elections after losing party symbol

After losing the twin flower symbol, two candidates from former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s camp withdrew from the West Bengal Assembly by elections one after another. Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination in Nandigram on Friday. Within 24 hours, Rabbiul Alam Chowdhury also withdrew his nomination from Rejinagar on Saturday. As a result, Mamata’s camp no longer has any candidate in either of the Nandigram and Rejinagar by elections scheduled for October 6.

The incident began with the Election Commission’s interim decision on September 17. Amid a dispute between the two factions of the recently ousted Trinamool Congress over the party’s name and symbol, the commission temporarily suspended the name ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ and the reserved twin flower symbol. As a result, neither the Mamata Banerjee nor the Ritabrata Banerjee faction will be able to use the name and symbol in the by elections.

The following day, the commission allocated the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘football player’ symbol to Mamata’s camp. Ritabrata’s faction was given the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the symbol ‘envelope’.

At a press conference on Friday, Mamata said the twin flower symbol had been built through blood, struggle and people’s love. She also said party workers had cried throughout the night over the loss of the symbol.

Mamata said taking away the party and its symbol was a black day for democracy. She also said the fight to regain the twin flower symbol and the party’s identity would continue through political and legal means. Meanwhile, she has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the commission’s decision.

The opposition camp has blamed Mamata for the situation. Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari said Mamata was responsible for failing to keep the party united. He claimed that the BJP had no direct role in the matter.

BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar also linked Rabbiul Alam’s withdrawal on Saturday to organizational weakness in Mamata’s camp.

Before Sanchita withdrew from Nandigram, she held a lengthy meeting with Shuvendu at Nabanna on Thursday night. At around 3:30 pm on Friday, she told the media that she would withdraw her nomination. At around 4:30 pm that afternoon, Mamata announced her support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in Nandigram. Mamata alleged that Sanchita had been threatened as the reason for her withdrawal.

However, Mamata camp leader Kunal Ghosh said two things must be taken into consideration. Sanchita could not withstand the pressure and Mamata’s camp also had a weak organization in Nandigram.

The same thing happened in Rejinagar on Saturday. Rabbiul Alam Chowdhury said it would be difficult to make the new symbol familiar to voters in such a short time. He said the party workers could not be sent into the field.

There is pressure on them. Several people have also been arrested. For these reasons, he decided to withdraw after questioning what would be the benefit of contesting the election. Rabbiul Alam also said that he had spoken with Mamata.