Kolkata, Sept. 19 -- A day after the withdrawal of its Nandigram candidate, the Mamata All India Trinamool Congress (MAITMC) on Saturday got a reprieve as its Rejinagar candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury reversed his decision to withdraw from the bypoll, keeping the faction in the electoral contest amid turbulence over its name, symbol and candidates.

Chowdhury had announced earlier on Saturday that he wanted to withdraw, citing the loss of the party's traditional

'Jora Ghash Phul' (two flowers and grass) symbol and the difficulty of familiarising voters with the faction's new identity during the short campaign period. He also cited concerns over the campaign.

He subsequently spoke to Mamata Banerjee and decided to remain in the race. The development came a day after the faction's Nandigram nominee, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, withdrew from the contest following a meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

The Election Commission's decision to freeze the original TMC name and symbol has forced the rival factions to contest the October 6 bypolls under separate names and symbols. Banerjee's faction has been allotted the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' and the Football Player symbol.

The Rejinagar U-turn came at a critical juncture for Banerjee's camp, which had faced the prospect of being left without its own candidate in either of the two seats.

In Nandigram, following Sanchita Pradhan Dey's withdrawal, Banerjee announced support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, who was subsequently arrested in connection with old cases dating back to the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement. Pradhan was sent to judicial custody till October 3 by the Haldia Subdivisional Court on Saturday. Congress has said he will remain in the contest and has refused to withdraw despite being behind bars.

Congress leaders alleged that the old cases were being used to target the Opposition ahead of the October 6 poll. Rahul Gandhi described the arrest as a "murder of democracy" and alleged political revenge by the BJP.

Meanwhile, independent Rejinagar candidate Saiful Islam, the AJUP's Nowda block president, was arrested by police on Saturday from Domkal in connection with an old case. He is scheduled to be produced in court on Sunday.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.