West Bengal TMC candidate Jahangir has withdrawn his candidature from the Falta Assembly constituency ahead of the re-poll scheduled on May 21.
“New CM Suvendu Adhikari is rolling out new packages for Falta.
Seeing this, I am withdrawing my candidature from the upcoming repoll,” said Jahangir. The Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government came to power in West Bengal defeating TMC earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea filed by the contesting candidate from Falta seeking disclosure of all FIRs registered against him and protection from coercive action before the re-poll.
Falta repoll
The Election Commission ordered a complete re-poll in the Falta Assembly constituency after declaring the April 29, election void over serious allegations of electoral malpractice and “subversion of the democratic process”.
The Commission directed fresh voting in all 285 polling booths in the constituency under Section 58(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The decision came after allegations of major irregularities, including tampering with EVM buttons and disruptions during polling, which the Commission said had vitiated the electoral process.
The fresh poll has been scheduled for May 21. Counting of votes for Falta will take place separately on May 24.
The decision carries significant political importance because Falta falls under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, considered a major Trinamool Congress stronghold.
