West Bengal: TMC Falta Candidate Steps Down Ahead Of Bypoll On May 21

Kolkata: Two days before the bypoll at Falta in south 24 parganas, Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Jahangir Khan, self-declared ‘Pushpa’ had withdrawn his candidature.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari who held a roadshow at Falta mocked Khan.

“Where did the so-called ‘Pushpa’ go? He got afraid that he could not give a booth agent. For several years people of Falta could not vote,” said Adhikari.

Notably, the people of Falta, especially women were heard complaining that TMC did not allow them to vote and also used to threaten if they cast their vote to any other party other than TMC.

People in large numbers also gathered during the Chief Minister’s roadshow and also handed over several papers mentioning their problems.

The Election Commission of India scrapped the polls in Falta Assembly constituency citing ‘severe electoral offences’.

Jahangir Khan mocked IPS Ajay Pal Sharma, who was sent to Bengal from UP as poll observer ahead of the elections. Mocking the IPS officer, Khan said that if Ajay Pal Sharma is ‘Singham’ then he is ‘Pushpa’.

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Addressing a press conference, Khan said, “Our Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is giving a special package for the development of Falta, which is why I am stepping down.”

TMC however said, “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 AC 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. Even in the face of such pressure, 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.”