Bengal police arrest Rejinagar bypoll candidate days after Nandigram candidate Milan Pradhan’s arrest
Police in West Bengal have arrested several political candidates and officials ahead of upcoming bypolls, citing long-standing criminal cases and alleged conspiracies. The arrests involve members of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party and the Congress party, sparking local political tension.
Why it matters
The arrests highlight the intersection of law enforcement and electoral politics in India, potentially impacting the fairness and outcome of the bypolls.
An Independent candidate for the Rejinagar assembly bypoll in West Bengal was arrested in a five-year-old case of a clash between two groups during the 2021 state elections, police said.
The arrest of Saiful Islam, who is associated with the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) led by Humayun Kabir, on September 19 came a day after police nabbed the Congress' Nandigram assembly bypoll nominee Milan Pradhan in an almost two-decades-old case registered during agitation against land acquisition in the region.
The two bypolls slated for October 6 were necessitated after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari vacated Nandigram, which he had won alongside Bhabanipur, while Rejinagar fell vacant after Mr. Kabir retained Nawda upon winning both seats in the 2026 assembly elections.
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