Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 19 (ANI): The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) MP Saayoni Ghosh on Saturday voiced hope for a united front, stating that the Congress should align with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) under the leadership of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to forge a "genuine partnership."
Speaking to reporters here on Rahul Gandhi's recent remarks, Ghosh emphasised that a cohesive alliance between the two parties would deliver a strong political message.
"I would hope that, under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, the Congress aligns with the TMC. If that happens, it will send a powerful message that this alliance is genuine—a true partnership, not merely one that exists in name only," Ghosh said.
Responding to queries regarding the Congress fielding Milan Pradhan from the high-profile Nandigram Assembly constituency amid reports of legal matters, Ghosh noted that such dynamics are routine in the run-up to elections.
"Regarding the Congress leader who became a candidate—as far as I knew until yesterday, there were some pending cases against him. This is politics, and in politics, one has to consider what decisions might be taken or actions initiated before an election," she said.
Emphasising that political entities are entitled to seek legal recourse, Ghosh maintained that all parties possess the right to approach the poll panel or the judiciary in a democratic setup.
"This is a matter between two parties; anyone can approach the Election Commission or even the courts. In a democracy—whether it is the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, or the BJP—everyone is free to exercise their democratic rights," she added.
Earlier, the by-election battle for Nandigram, scheduled for October 6, has turned into a full-blown political storm after Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested in connection with an old murder case just hours after Mamata Banerjee's TMC faction announced support for him. Congress leaders have united in condemning the arrest, vowing to emerge victorious in the by-polls.
Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi claimed that the arrest was "no coincidence," but rather politically motivated. He accused the BJP of "clinging" to power through "vote theft and stealing government and parties", stating that it aims to "end the electoral fight".
"The arrest of Congress candidate Milan Pradhan for the Nandigram by-election is no coincidence—it is political revenge, the murder of democracy. The BJP has no faith in fair elections—that's why it wants to cling to power sometimes through vote theft, sometimes through stealing governments, and sometimes through stealing parties. They don't want to contest elections; they want to end the electoral fight altogether. The Congress will neither fear nor bow down. We will fight—and we will win," he said on X.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge levelled similar charges, calling the arrest "a brazen attempt at VOTE CHORI and CHUNAV CHORI," asserting that Congress will fight back.
"The BJP is so insecure that even in a by-election, it is misusing agencies to target and arrest an Opposition candidate. The Prime Minister boasts of India as the “Mother of Democracy”. What the BJP is doing in West Bengal is the MURDER OF DEMOCRACY. Congress will neither be intimidated nor silenced. A united INDIA will fight back," Kharge said on X.
The arrest follows the Election Commission's interim order barring both TMC factions of their original name and the "Flowers and Grass" symbol, and the withdrawal of the Banerjee faction's own Nandigram candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey.
Mamata Banerjee herself linked the arrest directly to her endorsement.
"Minutes after we extended our support to the Congress candidate for the bypoll in Nandigram, the Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested. The timing raises serious questions and is the usual BJP formula: dig out an old case. But why now? Just after we announced support to the Congress!" Banerjee said in a post on X.
The seat fell vacant after Suvendu Adhikari gave up Nandigram and retained Bhabanipur following the 2026 Assembly elections. The constituency has long carried political significance for both Mamata Banerjee and Adhikari, with the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram becoming a defining chapter in Bengal politics.
The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, Congress has nominated Milan Pradhan, and the CPI has fielded Shanti Gopal Giri. The bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, along with the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election in Assam, are scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9.
As the October 6 contest draws closer, Nandigram has thus moved from a conventional by-election to a wider political battle involving party identity, election symbols, Opposition unity, an unexpected alliance between former rivals, and competing claims over the functioning of electoral and law-enforcement institutions. (ANI)
"Hope Congress aligns with TMC under Rahul Gandhi's leadership": NCPI MP Saayoni Ghosh on alliance, reacts to Cong's Nandigram candidate
