Nandigram: Cong takes campaign to streets as jailed Pradhan’s wife steps in

• Congress continued campaigning in Nandigram on Monday despite candidate Milan Pradhan being in judicial custody, with his wife Arpita set to join the campaign from Tuesday.

• Arpita questioned the timing of her husband's arrest and appealed to voters to support him, while Congress alleged the action was politically motivated; police have said the arrest was linked to long-pending warrants in cases dating back to the 2007 Nandigram movement. 

• Pradhan has moved Calcutta High Court seeking protection from coercive action in five other cases, with the hearing scheduled for 22 September.

Despite Milan Pradhan being in jail, the Congress continued its campaign in Nandigram on Monday, 21 September, seeking to keep its candidate's presence alive in the constituency ahead of the 6 October by-election. With Pradhan unable to campaign in person, Congress workers took to the streets, while his wife Arpita Pradhan is set to join the campaign from Tuesday.

The developments have added a personal dimension to an already turbulent contest. Pradhan was arrested on 18 September in connection with cases dating back to the 2007 Nandigram movement, and is currently in judicial custody. A Haldia court had initially remanded him to custody till 3 October, though a fresh court order on Monday extended his custody in another case till 5 October.

Arpita Pradhan, who described herself as a homemaker, appealed to the people of Nandigram through a video message to vote for her husband. She questioned the timing of his arrest, pointing out that he had visited the area several times in the past without being arrested.

"He was arrested immediately after becoming the Congress candidate. He used to go to vote regularly and stayed in the area during the Puja festivities. He even visited three months ago, yet no one arrested him then! Why is this action being taken only now that he is standing as a Congress candidate?"

Arpita alleged that her husband had been implicated in a false case dating back to 2007 and said that others associated with the same case were now moving freely. She expressed faith in the judicial process, saying, "The law never lies; it follows the path of truth."

Appealing directly to voters, she said, "This fight is not just Milan's; it belongs to all of Nandigram." She added that Milan "loves the soil and the people of Nandigram" and appealed to voters to press the Congress button on polling day.

Congress leader and Nandigram observer Ranajit Mukherjee said Arpita would join the campaign from Tuesday. "Pradhan’s wife has posted the video today and she will be joining the campaign here from tomorrow," he said.

With Pradhan in custody, Mukherjee led a campaign rally in the Shamsabad-Mir Bazar area of Nandigram on Monday. It was among the first major Congress campaign programmes in the constituency since Pradhan's arrest.

The Congress has also been protesting the arrest, arguing that the timing of the police action has placed its candidate at a serious disadvantage weeks before polling. The party has described the arrest as politically motivated, while police have said Pradhan was arrested to execute long-pending non-bailable warrants in cases registered during the 2007 Nandigram movement.

Mukherjee accused the BJP of trying to prevent the Congress from campaigning effectively. "BJP’s highly undemocratic move against our candidate Milan Pradhan exposed the insecurity of the BJP in just four months of their rule," he said.

He further claimed, "Everyone understands it is a political arrest. The only reason why Pradhan was jailed is that he did not give in to the candidature withdrawal demand of the BJP."

The legal battle also moved forward on Monday. Pradhan, who is already in judicial custody, approached the Calcutta High Court seeking protection from coercive action in five other criminal cases. His lawyer told the court that the candidate feared that securing bail in one matter could still leave him behind bars if police arrested him in the other cases. The High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on Tuesday, 22 September.

Pradhan was arrested in Chandipur on 18 September in connection with old cases linked to the 2007 Nandigram agitation. Police have said the cases involve serious charges and that arrest warrants had remained pending.

The 6 October by-election and the 4 October end of campaigning have left Pradhan with little scope to campaign personally unless he secures relief from the courts.

Mukherjee also raised a more serious allegation concerning events before Pradhan's arrest. He claimed that Pradhan had been taken away by police and brought to Mandarmani, where pressure was allegedly put on him to withdraw his candidature.

"He was abducted by the police blind folded and then taken to Mandarmani where he was pressurised to withdraw his candidature which he did not do," Mukherjee alleged. He added that Congress leader Subhasish Bhattacharya, who he said was with Pradhan at the time, had spoken to the media about the incident.

The allegation has not been independently established.

The Congress is now attempting to turn Pradhan's absence into a broader organisational campaign. Mukherjee said central leader Prakash Joshi, who is due in the state for a party conference, will also join the Nandigram campaign.

The Nandigram by-election was triggered after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari vacated the seat. Polling is scheduled for 6 October and counting for 9 October. The arrest of Pradhan came hours after Mamata Banerjee announced her support for his candidature following the withdrawal of the candidate backed by her faction of the Trinamool Congress.