Convicted Bengal Trinamool lawmaker withdraws from civic polls

A day after filing nomination for the forthcoming civic polls in West Bengal's Asansol, Trinamool Congress legislator Sohrab Ali - convicted of theft by a court - on Thursday withdrew his candidature.

Ali, who has moved a higher court in appeal against his conviction, on Thursday withdrew his candidature.

"Following directions from the party leadership, I have withdrawn my nomination. I have done it for the sake of my party," he told media persons after completing the formalities.

The lawmaker from Raniganj assembly constituency in Burdwan district was convicted for a 1995 theft case and sentenced to two years imprisonment by a court on September 8. While the court subsequently suspended the sentence, opposition parties had accused the Trinamool of violating law after Ali filed the nomination papers on Wednesday for Asansol Municipal Corporation polls slated October 3.

Incidentally, Ali's wife Nargis Banno too filed her nominations from the same ward as an Independent candidate.

The opposition parties, though, were unimpressed by Ali's withdrawal.

"The Trinamool cannot wash off its sins just by ordering Ali to withdraw his candidature. When the law demands that he be disqualified as a member of the assembly, the Trinamool are desperate to have him in the poll fray only because Ali is known for his muscle and money power," said BJP legislator Samik Bhattacharya.

Speaking in the same vein, Congress leader Abdul Mannan too charged the Trinamool of violating law by allowing Ali to continue as lawmaker.