Nandigram bypoll: Congress, TMC slam BJP after candidate Milan Pradhan arrested
Synopsis
Hours after Mamata Banerjee threw her weight behind Congress candidate Milan Pradhan for the Nandigram bypoll, Pradhan was arrested in an old murder case — triggering a joint Congress-TMC offensive against the BJP and a fresh demand for Election Commission intervention. With polling on 6 October, the arrest has turned a local bypoll into a flashpoint over institutional integrity in West Bengal.
Key Takeaways
Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested in an old murder case ahead of the Nandigram Assembly bypoll on 6 October .
The arrest came shortly after former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced TMC's support for Pradhan, following the withdrawal of TMC's own candidate Sanchita Dey Pradhan .
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called the bypoll a 'farce' and said he would raise the matter with the Election Commission of India .
TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh labelled the arrest a 'panic reaction' and a sign of a 'fascist government.' Congress leader Udit Raj alleged the TMC candidate was 'threatened or bribed' into withdrawing her nomination.
Bypoll results for Nandigram and Rejinagar (Murshidabad) will be declared on 9 November .
The Indian National Congress (Congress) and the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday, 18 September launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), describing the upcoming bypoll in West Bengal's Nandigram Assembly constituency as a 'farce election' after Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested in connection with an old murder case. The arrest came hours after former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced her backing for Pradhan, adding a charged political dimension to an already fractious electoral contest.
Background: Alliance Shift and the Arrest
Earlier on Friday, the TMC faction led by Mamata Banerjee extended formal support to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan after Sanchita Dey Pradhan, the TMC-backed candidate for the Nandigram bypoll, withdrew her nomination. The decision signalled a rare convergence between the two parties ahead of the 6 October bypoll. Within hours of that announcement, Milan Pradhan was taken into custody by police in connection with a pre-existing murder case.
What Congress Leaders Said
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury framed the arrest as a direct act of political sabotage in a self-made video statement. 'When other opposition parties started extending support to Milan Pradhan, BJP got scared and out of desperation it has arrested Pradhan, in order to thwart our bright prospects in the bypoll and turn the election into a farce one,' he said.
Chowdhury went further, calling the situation 'a stain on our democracy,' alleging that the BJP, as the ruling party in West Bengal, was using state institutions to manipulate the electoral process. He said he would be drawing the attention of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the matter. Congress leader Udit Raj added that the circumstances of the arrest were telling. 'If the Congress candidate had also agreed to sit out or refused to contest, he wouldn't have been arrested. Therefore, the Trinamool Congress candidate must have been threatened, or bribed (due to which she withdrew). This is completely undemocratic,' Raj said.
TMC Calls It a 'Panic Reaction'
TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh echoed the Congress's condemnation, describing Pradhan's arrest as a 'panic reaction' by the BJP. 'He (Milan Pradhan) was arrested right after Mamata Banerjee announced that she and her party are going to support the Congress candidate contesting the Nandigram bye-election. This is a panic reaction...This is a fascist government,' Ghosh told reporters. He further alleged that a 'Police Raj' was in operation in the state, claiming: 'The BJP is scared as it does not trust the public.' Ghosh demanded the immediate release of the Congress candidate.
Bypoll Details and What Is at Stake
Nandigram — a constituency of considerable historical and political significance in West Bengal — along with Rejinagar Assembly constituency in Murshidabad district, is scheduled to go to the polls on 6 October. Results for both seats will be declared on 9 November. The Nandigram seat carries particular symbolic weight given its role in West Bengal's recent political history, and the arrest of the principal opposition candidate is expected to intensify scrutiny of the poll process. The BJP has not yet issued a formal response to the allegations. All claims regarding motivation behind the arrest are attributed to opposition leaders and have not been independently verified.
Point of View
Regardless of the legal merits of the underlying murder case. When an opposition coalition is visibly gaining traction and the frontrunner is then detained, the optics corrode institutional credibility even if the process is procedurally sound. What is striking is the rare alignment of Congress and TMC: two parties that are fierce rivals in West Bengal, briefly united by a common adversary and a shared grievance. The Election Commission's response — or silence — in the coming days will itself become a political signal.
NationPress
18 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Nandigram Congress candidate Milan Pradhan arrested?
Milan Pradhan was arrested in connection with an old murder case, according to reports. The arrest occurred on 18 September 2026, hours after former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced TMC's support for his candidacy in the Nandigram bypoll.
When is the Nandigram Assembly bypoll scheduled?
The Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for 6 October 2026, alongside the Rejinagar Assembly constituency bypoll in Murshidabad district. Results for both seats will be declared on 9 November 2026.
What did Congress demand after the arrest?
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanded immediate intervention by the Election Commission of India, calling the arrest a politically motivated act designed to turn the bypoll into a 'farce.' Both Congress and TMC have demanded Pradhan's immediate release.
Why did TMC's Nandigram candidate withdraw from the bypoll?
TMC candidate Sanchita Dey Pradhan withdrew her nomination from the Nandigram bypoll, after which the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC announced support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan. Congress leader Udit Raj alleged the withdrawal was the result of threats or bribery, though these claims have not been independently verified.
What is the BJP's position on the allegations?
The BJP had not issued a formal response to the allegations at the time of reporting. All claims of political motivation behind the arrest are attributed to Congress and TMC leaders and remain unverified by independent sources.
