- Jahangir Khan says he withdrew from Falta repoll after a special package announcement by Suvendu Adhikari
- Khan cited peace, development, and the special package as reasons for withdrawal
- The votes for Falta bypoll will be counted on May 24
Trinamool candidate Jahangir Khan on Tuesday announced that he is withdrawing his nomination and will not not contest the Falta bypoll. The announcement comes two days before the repoll.
The votes for the bypoll will be counted on May 24.
The BJP secured a landslide victory in Bengal with a huge mandate of 207 seats, forming its first-ever government in the state with Suvendu Adhikari as the Chief Minister.
"My objective is to ensure peace and security in Falta, and to foster its maximum possible development. My vision was 'Sonar Falta.' Our Chief Minister is providing a special package for the people of Falta; it is for this very reason that I am withdrawing my nomination. I have withdrawn my candidature in the interest of Falta's development and peace," Khan said.
When questioned if this was a personal decision or enforced by the Trinamool, he responded, "I have answered many questions before. Today, what I had to say was that I have withdrawn from this contest. For the sake of the people of Falta, for the sake of Falta's development, for the sake of maintaining peace in Falta."
The Trinamool has distanced itself from Jahanagir Khan's decision to not contest the May 21 bypoll.
"The decision taken by Jahangir Khan to withdraw from the Falta re-poll is his personal decision and not that of the party. Since the election results were declared on 4th May, more than 100 of our party workers have been arrested in Falta alone. Several party offices have been vandalised, shut down and forcibly captured in broad daylight through intimidation, while the EC continues to turn a blind eye despite repeated complaints," the Trinamool said in a statement.
The party maintained that it will continue to "resist the BJP's intimidation".
"Our workers remain rock-solid and continue to resist the BJP's intimidation unleashed through agencies and the administration. However, some eventually succumbed to the pressure and chose to step away from the field. We strongly condemn this. Our fight against the Bangla Birodhi BJP will continue - both in West Bengal and in Delhi," the statement added.
The Falta repoll has drawn political attention as the constituency falls within Diamond Harbour, the MP constituency of Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
No rally or public meeting has been conducted in the constituency by Trinamool candidate Jahangir Khan or senior party leaders, including former chief minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, during the campaign period since May 4.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari took a swipe at the Trinamool candidate.
"He ran away as he won't get any polling agent," the Chief Minister said shortly after the Trinamool's candidate announced his decision to not contest Falta repoll.
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar recalled Jahangir Khan's filmy remarks that he was 'Pushpa' (in context of a Telugu action film), and said, "Several people try to be 'Pushpa' but 'Pushpa' was a 'phusss' (flop) this time. So, all these 'Pushpa' and their boss - there used to be photos in Diamond Harbour stating "AB (Abhishek Banerjee) jhukega nahi". Everyone is bending now. AB's agent has bent now; AB will too in the time to come. Don't worry."
On April 29, several complaints of alleged electoral malpractices emerged from Falta.
At several polling booths, the EVM buttons corresponding to the names and symbols of BJP candidates were allegedly covered with white tape.
Special poll observer Subrata Gupta, currently serving as adviser to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, visited Falta and conducted an inquiry into the allegations.
Based on Gupta's findings, the Election Commission ordered repolling across the entire Falta Assembly constituency.
