Rahul Gandhi, Ritabrata Banerjee clash on social media over Nandigram bypoll arrest
Synopsis
Hours after Mamata Banerjee threw her support behind Congress candidate Milan Pradhan for the Nandigram bypoll, Pradhan was arrested in an old murder case — triggering a public war of words between Rahul Gandhi, who called it political revenge, and rebel Trinamool leader Ritabrata Banerjee, who said his faction filed the very complaint that led to the arrest. All this unfolded on the same day the ECI formally split the Trinamool Congress into two separately named parties.
Key Takeaways
Rahul Gandhi and rebel Trinamool leader Ritabrata Banerjee clashed publicly on social media on 19 September 2026 over the arrest of Congress Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan .
Pradhan was arrested on Friday evening in an old murder case, hours after Mamata Banerjee announced her support for him.
Gandhi called the arrest 'political revenge and the murder of democracy,' blaming the BJP ; Ritabrata alleged his Democratic Trinamool Congress faction lodged the original complaint, citing three pending murder cases against Pradhan.
The Election Commission of India on Friday allotted new names and symbols to both Trinamool factions: 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' with the 'Football Player' symbol, and 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' with the 'Envelope' symbol.
Sanchita Dey Pradhan , the erstwhile Mamata-faction Nandigram candidate, withdrew her nomination after meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari before Mamata switched her backing to the Congress.
Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and rebel Trinamool Congress leader Ritabrata Banerjee traded sharp accusations on social media on Friday, 19 September 2026, over the arrest of Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll in East Midnapore district, West Bengal. The episode has turned the already volatile bypoll into a flashpoint for competing political narratives involving the BJP, the two Trinamool factions, and the Congress.
The Arrest That Sparked the Row
Milan Pradhan was taken into custody on Friday evening, just hours after a dramatic chain of events in West Bengal politics. Sanchita Dey Pradhan, the erstwhile Nandigram candidate of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool faction, withdrew her nomination after meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Shortly thereafter, Mamata Banerjee publicly announced her support for the Congress candidate — and within hours, Pradhan was in custody on what officials described as an old murder case registered against him.
What Gandhi and Ritabrata Said
Late Friday night, Gandhi posted on social media, framing the arrest as politically motivated. 'The BJP has no faith in fair elections — that's why it wants to cling to power sometimes through vote theft, sometimes through stealing governments, and sometimes through stealing parties. They don't want to contest elections; they want to end the electoral fight altogether. The Congress will neither fear nor bow down. We will fight — and we will win,' Gandhi wrote.
Within an hour, Ritabrata Banerjee issued a rebuttal, claiming the arrest followed a complaint filed by his own faction, the Democratic Trinamool Congress. 'We, the Democratic Trinamool Congress, have lodged a complaint against Milan Pradhan, who has three murder cases pending against him. During elections it's mandatory to execute the warrant. The State Cong Leadership probably has not intimated the actual details to Sri @RahulGandhi,' Ritabrata alleged.
A Turbulent Day for West Bengal Politics
The backdrop to Friday's drama was an equally consequential ruling from the Election Commission of India (ECI). The poll body, which had on Thursday frozen the name 'All India Trinamool Congress' and the symbol 'Flowers & Grass', on Friday assigned new identities to both factions. Mamata Banerjee's faction received the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' and the symbol 'Football Player', while the Ritabrata-led rebel faction was allotted the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' and the symbol 'Envelope'. The ECI order effectively formalised the split in one of West Bengal's most powerful political formations.
Nandigram Bypoll: What Is at Stake
The Nandigram constituency carries significant symbolic weight — it was the seat where Mamata Banerjee suffered a surprise defeat to Suvendu Adhikari in the 2021 Assembly elections. A bypoll in Nandigram now draws participation from at least three distinct political forces: the BJP, the two Trinamool factions, and the Congress — making it a rare multi-cornered contest in a state known for bipolar political battles. Notably, the Congress candidate's arrest, if upheld, could force the party to reconsider its electoral prospects in the seat.
What Comes Next
The legal status of Milan Pradhan's custody will be closely watched, as any bail order could alter the bypass calculus significantly. Whether Mamata Banerjee's formal endorsement of the Congress candidate holds in light of the arrest — and whether the ECI's new party names gain rapid voter recognition before polling day — are the immediate unknowns. West Bengal's already fractured political landscape appears set for a further churn.
Point of View
It threatens to embarrass multiple parties at once.
NationPress
19 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Milan Pradhan, the Congress Nandigram bypoll candidate, arrested?
Milan Pradhan was arrested on Friday evening in connection with an old murder case registered against him, with rebel Trinamool leader Ritabrata Banerjee claiming his faction filed the complaint that led to the arrest. Pradhan reportedly has three murder cases pending against him, according to Ritabrata's statement.
What did Rahul Gandhi say about Milan Pradhan's arrest?
Gandhi posted on social media late Friday night, calling the arrest 'political revenge and the murder of democracy' and blaming the BJP for attempting to subvert the electoral process. He said the Congress 'will neither fear nor bow down' and vowed to fight and win.
How did the Election Commission split the Trinamool Congress?
The Election Commission of India on Friday allotted the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' and the symbol 'Football Player' to Mamata Banerjee's faction, and the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' with the symbol 'Envelope' to Ritabrata Banerjee's rebel faction. The ECI had frozen the original party name and symbol a day earlier on Thursday.
Why is the Nandigram bypoll politically significant?
Nandigram is the constituency where Mamata Banerjee lost to Suvendu Adhikari in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, making it symbolically important for all parties involved. The bypoll now features at least three competing forces — the BJP, two Trinamool factions, and Congress — in a state where politics is typically bipolar.
What prompted Mamata Banerjee to back the Congress candidate?
Mamata Banerjee announced support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan after Sanchita Dey Pradhan, her faction's original Nandigram candidate, withdrew her nomination following a meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The withdrawal came shortly after the ECI assigned new party identities to both Trinamool factions.
