Now, TMC candidate in Rejinagar bypoll withdraws nomination
What's the story
Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has faced a major political setback as her party's candidate for the Rejinagar bypoll, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, withdrew his nomination on Saturday. The development comes a day after another candidate from her faction, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, pulled out of the Nandigram bypoll. Both constituencies are scheduled to vote on October 6.
Candidate shift
Dey met Suvendu Adhikari before withdrawing
Dey had withdrawn her nomination after meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state secretariat, Nabanna. She was accompanied by her husband, Satyajit.
After Dey's withdrawal, Banerjee's faction extended support to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan for the Nandigram bypoll.
However, Pradhan was later arrested in a 2007 murder case on Friday evening.
New identities
ECI freezes use of Trinamool Congress name, symbol
The Election Commission of India (ECI) had earlier frozen the use of the All India Trinamool Congress name and its well-recognized twin-flowers-on-grass symbol for both rival factions.
The ECI then allotted new names and symbols to each faction.
Banerjee's faction was named "Mamata All India Trinamool Congress" with a "Football Player" symbol, while Ritabrata Banerjee's faction was named "Democratic Trinamool Congress" with an "Envelope" symbol.