TMC rebels have offered not to field a candidate in the Nandigram bypoll if Mamata Banerjee decides to contest the seat and return to the Assembly.
The upcoming Nandigram bypoll could create an unusual political situation for Mamata Banerjee. The rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has indicated that it could stay out of the contest if the West Bengal Chief Minister decides to fight from the seat.
The October 6 bypoll was necessitated after BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated Mamata in Nandigram, vacated the constituency. Mamata has not yet announced whether she will contest the seat.
Ritabrata Banerjee, who heads the rebel TMC group, said in New Delhi on Saturday that the faction had already settled on a candidate, although the name had not been made public.
“Our candidate selection has been decided collectively but hasn’t been announced yet,” he was quoted as saying by NDTV.
Ritabrata then turned his attention to Mamata’s electoral record, while also leaving the door open for her to contest Nandigram.
“Mamata Banerjee never wins in normal elections. But she wins in by-elections. And it doesn’t look good, right, that Mamata Banerjee lost in her own locality and lost at her booth in this election,” he said.
His remarks referred to Mamata’s defeat in Bhabanipur, where she lost to the BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari. Adhikari also defeated her in Nandigram and went on to become Chief Minister, bringing an end to her 15-year rule.
Despite the criticism, Ritabrata said the rebels wanted Mamata in the Assembly.
“We also want Mamata Banerjee to come to the assembly,” he said.
Rebels Offer To Stay Out Of Nandigram
TMC MLA Akhruzzaman, who is part of the rebel faction, also pointed to Mamata’s previous defeat in Nandigram.
“She has never won a general election from Nandigram,” he said, referring to her 2021 defeat against Adhikari.
