Mamata backs Congress in Nandigram, vows to fight ECI ‘injustice’

• Mamata Banerjee's faction will support Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in the Nandigram bypoll after its own nominee Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her nomination following a meeting with CM Suvendu Adhikari. 

• The announcement came a day after the Election Commission of India barred both rival TMC factions from using the party's name and reserved symbol for the upcoming bypolls. 

• Mamata said the move was aimed at strengthening the INDIA bloc and opposing the BJP.

In a dramatic turn in the Nandigram bypoll, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday, 18 September announced that her faction of the TMC would back Congress candidate Milan Pradhan after its own nominee withdrew from the contest.

The announcement came a day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) barred the rival TMC factions led by Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee from using the party's name and reserved symbol for the 6 October by-polls in West Bengal's Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly segments. The poll panel asked the two factions to contest under separate names and symbols.

Mamata made the announcement at a press conference at her Kalighat office in Kolkata, saying her faction would extend its "full support" to the Congress candidate in Nandigram.

"In the larger interest, we are with the INDIA alliance. We will give support to the Congress party and make INDIA alliance strong," she said.

Her announcement followed the withdrawal of Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the candidate fielded by her faction in Nandigram. Dey withdrew her nomination on Friday after meeting West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari.

Mamata said the decision was driven by the need for Opposition unity against the BJP-led government. "We are giving support to the Congress. Congress candidate is good," she said.

Asked whether she would campaign in Nandigram herself, Mamata declined to give a direct answer, saying, "We shall overcome."

She also made clear that she would not support the BJP. "The BJP must go from power in India," she said.

On the Rejinagar by-poll, where the two TMC factions have also fielded candidates, Mamata said a decision would be taken later. "We will decide later for Rejinagar," she said.

The announcement drew contrasting reactions from rival political camps. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury welcomed Mamata's decision, saying, "The TMC candidate in Nandigram has left. Her (Mamata's) player has fled. If she wants to support Congress it is good. Anyway, she has no candidate."

Referring to the ECI's allocation of separate symbols to the two factions, Chowdhury added, "The ECI has given appropriate symbols to the two factions. Envelope that carries money has been given rightly to the Ritabrata Banerjee camp and football player symbol to Mamata faction as she lost her game."

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty was more critical. "It is absurd that the TMC lost its name and symbol in just four months. Even their candidate fled in Nandigram. What Mamata did all these years, her disciple Suvendu Adhikari is doing the same with her," he said. "With the player symbol, she has conceded a same-side goal. She has given the whole state to the BJP. So her support does not matter anymore. We will have to fight it now."

Madan Mitra, who has aligned with the Ritabrata Banerjee faction, accused Mamata of trying to use the Congress to protect her political position. "Mamata is trying to save herself now by holding the Congress. But she might have forgotten that she attacked Rahul Gandhi all these years and she is the one who divided the INDIA bloc every time before the elections," he said.

He further alleged, "She is the one who divided the TMC party and has made BJP strong. We are the only ones who would fight the BJP now. This Nandigram candidate was fixed by Mamata-TMC knowing that this would happen at the last moment to help the BJP."

Mamata also used the press conference to attack the ECI and the BJP-led government, questioning the conduct of the electoral process. "Why were 4,000 EVM machines burnt and why is there no investigation?" she asked.

She alleged that the "BJP totally hijacked the EVM machines" and accused the ECI of acting to favour the ruling party. "The EC is just trying to satisfy BJP's ego," she said.

Mamata also compared the split in her party with the earlier ruptures in the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, saying, "Before us, they broke Uddhav Thackeray's party and then the NCP. BJP came to us several times to support them. But we did not do it for the good of the people."

She alleged that her party workers had faced widespread arrests and political restrictions. "More than 14,000 of our workers have been jailed. This does not happen even in African (nations)," she said.

Mamata also alleged that the Opposition had been denied the freedom to hold political programmes without court permission and said, "Why will the Opposition parties and others have to take permission from the court for meetings? They had also put me under house arrest. They have taken away the fundamental rights of the people."

Despite the setbacks, she insisted that her faction remained in control of the party identity it claims. "After so much struggle, fights and murders, my party stands today at 29 years. I thank my workers and supporters who stood by me," she said. "The AITC (All India Trinamool Congress) name is with me. It is my workers who chose the name Mamata AITC and I am sure they are happy."

Mamata also said she had spoken to several Opposition leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal. "Rahul ji called me today. Arvind ji also called and other leaders too. We are all together and will fight together to oust BJP from power," she said. "I will travel the country and campaign against the atrocities and (reveal) the real face of the BJP. A storm is brewing in India."

Mamata ended by appealing to people in Bengal to continue supporting her faction. "I will ask the people of Bengal to be by our side as we will continue to fight for you," she said. "Today we are no longer independent of autocracy and fascism. But I will ask everyone to be optimistic. This too shall pass."