Our Bureau
Kolkata
Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan withdrew from the Falta repoll on Tuesday, just two days before voting, setting off a fresh political row in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district.
Khan said he was stepping aside because of a promise of a special package for Falta’s development and because he wanted peace in the area. He said that he was acting in the interest of development and stability.
The move came as a surprise to the party and to political observers, since the repoll was due within days. The Trinamool Congress later said Khan’s decision was personal, while party leaders also pointed to pressure in the constituency.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari reacted sharply, saying Khan had “run away” because he would not get any polling agent.
The withdrawal has now turned a local repoll into a wider political flashpoint. What happens next in Falta will depend on how the parties respond in the final days before voting.
