The political contest in Nandigram has taken a fresh turn after Sanchita Pradhan De, the Trinamool Congress candidate backed by Mamata Banerjee's faction, withdrew from the upcoming Assembly bypoll.

De's decision came hours after she met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state secretariat in Nabanna. The meeting was described by sources as a courtesy interaction, as Adhikari is both the Chief Minister and the sitting MLA from Nandigram.

The development came on the same day that the Election Commission allotted new names and symbols to the rival TMC factions after freezing the party's original identity and its Flowers and Grass symbol.

Mamata backs Congress candidate

Following De's withdrawal, Mamata Banerjee said her faction would not field another candidate in Nandigram and would instead support Congress nominee Milan Pradhan.

At a press conference, Mamata said her camp would stand with the INDIA bloc and criticised the BJP, calling for its removal from power.

The decision marked a significant change from the TMC's previous position in West Bengal, where the party and Congress have been political rivals.

Congress candidate arrested

The political developments were followed by another setback for the Congress.

Around an hour after Mamata announced support for Milan Pradhan, he was arrested in connection with three murder cases, including one dating back to 2007, according to Congress general secretary KC Venugopal.

Venugopal alleged that the arrest was politically motivated and questioned its timing. The allegation has been rejected by the authorities? [Need avoid unsupported rejection—better: "The Congress has alleged that the timing was politically motivated."]

The arrest adds another layer to an already fluid contest in Nandigram.

TMC gets new election symbol

The Election Commission recently froze the TMC's established name and its Flowers and Grass, or Jora Phool, symbol amid a dispute between the Mamata Banerjee-led faction and the rival group led by Ritabrata Banerjee.

For the upcoming Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls, Mamata's faction has been allotted the Football Player symbol, while the rival faction has received the Envelope symbol.

The EC's interim arrangement is limited to the forthcoming electoral exercise and does not finally settle which faction is entitled to the TMC's original identity.

From breaking with Congress to seeking its support

The latest developments also carry significance because of Mamata Banerjee's political history with the Congress.

Mamata left the Congress in 1998 and went on to establish the Trinamool Congress. Nearly three decades later, her faction is now supporting a Congress candidate in Nandigram after losing access, at least temporarily, to the TMC's established name and symbol.

The TMC and Congress have remained rivals in Bengal for much of the period since Mamata's party emerged as a major political force. Recent developments following the TMC's electoral setback, however, have brought the two parties closer in the context of the upcoming bypoll.

Why Nandigram matters

Nandigram has been central to Mamata Banerjee's political rise. The movement against land acquisition in the area became a major issue in Bengal politics and contributed to the Left Front's eventual defeat after more than three decades in power.

In the 2021 Assembly election, Mamata contested Nandigram against Suvendu Adhikari, a former close associate who had joined the BJP. Adhikari defeated her by a narrow margin.

Mamata did not contest Nandigram in the latest Assembly election, while Adhikari retained his political association with the constituency.

BJP fields candidate in Nandigram

The BJP has nominated Hasirani Rath, the mother of Chandranath Rath, who was a personal aide of Suvendu Adhikari and was killed following the Bengal Assembly election results, according to the party's announcement.

Adhikari has previously said the BJP would seek a record victory margin in Nandigram in the bypoll.

With De withdrawing, Mamata's faction backing the Congress nominee and the original TMC name and symbol unavailable for the bypoll, the Nandigram contest has entered a new phase.

The October 6 bypoll will now be closely watched amid the continuing dispute over the TMC's organisational identity and the shifting alignments among the parties.