Trinamool Congress MLA Abdur Razzak Mandal Exits Party Ahead of Assembly Elections
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Kolkata, April 16 (NationPress) In a significant political development just a week ahead of the first phase of the Assembly elections, senior Trinamool Congress MLA representing the Jalangi constituency in Murshidabad district, Abdur Razzak Mandal, announced his departure from the party on Thursday.
During a press conference held at his MLA office in Kantabari, Jalangi, he declared that he was cutting all ties with the Trinamool Congress. Mandal also criticized the party's candidate for Raninagar, Soumik Hossain, claiming that internal party dynamics prevented him from contesting the Assembly elections from Jalangi.
He accused Soumik Hossain of attempting to position himself as the leader of the Domkal subdivision, suggesting that this was why he was not re-nominated for the Jalangi constituency. Mandal asserted that the Trinamool Congress would face defeats in all three seats within the Domkal subdivision.
In response, Soumik Hossain stated, “I am not responsible for ticket allocations. His allegations stem from personal grievances after being denied an election ticket this time.”
Despite expressing no personal regret over losing his ticket from Jalangi, Mandal expressed deep hurt over remarks made by the party's senior leadership.
He stated, “My only regret is that party leader Abhishek Banerjee publicly claimed there were corruption allegations against me, which led to my denial of a ticket. This has tarnished my 43-year political legacy.”
Mandal raised questions regarding the origins of these accusations and expressed his discontent over being defamed without proper dialogue. Unable to accept the situation, he announced his exit from the party, emphasizing, “From today, I wish to live as an ordinary citizen.”
Additionally, Mandal made a provocative assertion at the press conference, predicting that Trinamool candidates would be defeated in all three constituencies of the Domkal subdivision.
He also voiced concerns that he might be blamed for any election loss in the future, which he cited as another reason for his departure from the party. Nevertheless, he affirmed that he is not withdrawing from politics.
Mandal hinted at the possibility of joining another party in the future but clarified that it would not be before the Assembly elections.
“I will participate as a regular voter and can choose to vote for the Trinamool or any other party I prefer,” he remarked.
He further raised doubts about the overall election outcomes in the state and strongly criticized the nomination of “outsider” candidates in the Jalangi, Domkal, and Raninagar constituencies. He argued that local candidates naturally foster a dedicated voter base, which the party has overlooked.
Mandal pointed out that historically, voters in Jalangi have not favored outsider candidates and expressed frustration over not being included in any election committee, which he deemed another key reason for his departure.