Nandigram, Sept. 18 -- In a setback for the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress, its candidate Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) on Friday withdrew her nomination from the Nandigram Assembly constituency by-election, leaving the faction without a candidate in the seat ahead of the October 6 polling.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee said her party would back Congress in Nandigram and in the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam.

"We are extending our support to Congress in Nandigram and Assam. We are doing this for the greater interest of the nation," Banerjee said while addressing a press conference.

The development came hours after the Election Commission of India stripped both rival TMC factions of the party's name and the "Flowers and Gra...