In a dramatic twist in the re-elections for the Falta assembly seat in West Bengal, Jahangir Khan, the candidate from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has withdrawn his candidature for the polls scheduled on May 21.
"I am the son of Falta and I want Falta to remain peaceful and progress. Our Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is giving a special package for the development of Falta, which is why I have decided to step away from the repoll process in the constituency," Khan said in a video, while announcing his decision to pull out of the race.
What TMC said
TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty said the party has received information about Khan's decision, but is yet to get clarity on what prompted it.
"We have heard that Jahangir Khan has decided not to contest or participate in the Falta repoll," he told reporters.
"We are still not aware of the reason behind his withdrawal," he added.
Falta re-election
Polling was countermanded in Falta in South 24 Parganas district, following allegations of large-scale irregularities during the vote on April 29.
Khan moved HC seeking protection
Khan withdrew his candidature a day after he moved the Calcutta High Court, seeking protection from any coercive police action, after he claimed that criminal cases were being continuously slapped against him.
Khan's counsel Kishore Dutta had sought the disclosure of all FIRs filed against him, and protection from coercive measures.
The HC bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, while directing that no coercive steps will be taken against Khan in connection with the pending criminal prosecutions till May 26, also asked him to cooperate with the investigating agency.
Justice Bhattacharyya also granted permission to the police to bring to the notice of the court any deviation from the order by the petitioner.
Election showdown in Falta
In the run-up to the West Bengal assembly elections, Khan described himself as 'Pushpa', a cine character, after IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, who was appointed by the poll panel as a police observer, was likened to 'Singham', a police character in Ajay Devgn starrer Bollywood flick.
In a viral video, Sharma was seen warning Khan's family a couple of days before the May 29 polls not to intimidate voters, else he would be brought under the lens of the law.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari held a road show in Falta, on the final day of campaigning for the May 21 repoll.
The Falta repoll has drawn political attention as the constituency falls within Diamond Harbour, the MP constituency of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
