Kolkata, Sept. 21 -- With Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in jail ahead of the October 6 Nandigram bypoll, his wife Arpita Pradhan has appealed to voters to support him, while questioning the timing of his arrest in a 19-year-old case.
In a video message, Arpita said Milan was arrested soon after being named the Congress candidate.
"He used to regularly come to vote and stayed in the area during Puja. Even three months ago, he visited Nandigram, but nobody arrested him. Why was this action taken only after his candidature was announced on behalf of Congress?" she asked.
She alleged that Milan had been implicated in a "false" case dating back to the 2007 Nandigram land movement. Urging voters to "stand with the truth against lies" through their verdict.
The arrest came shortly after Mamata Banerjee announced that her party, now named Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, would support Milan following Sanchita Pradhan Dey's withdrawal from the contest.
State Congress leaders have alleged a political motive behind the arrest.
Milan's lawyer and state Congress spokesperson Ajitesh Pandey said the party would make all efforts to secure his release and approached the Calcutta High Court.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.