Cong claims its candidate for Nandigram bypoll arrested over 2007 protest

Congress candidate for the upcoming Nandigram assembly bypoll, Milan Pradhan, was arrested for his alleged involvement in the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement there, a senior party leader claimed.

Congress candidate for the upcoming Nandigram assembly bypoll, Milan Pradhan, was arrested on Friday for his alleged involvement in the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement there, a senior party leader claimed.

Another party leader, Subhasish Bhattacharya, was also arrested for allegedly preventing the police from apprehending Pradhan, he said.

Pradhan, who has been named in more than 12 cases over the Nandigram land movement, was picked up from a hotel in Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district, the Congress leader said.

"This is nothing but a dirty game of the BJP. Milan had been spearheading the Nandigram movement in 2007. He had been named in at least 12 cases since then. But today, because he has successfully filed his nomination, the police were made to arrest him," he told PTI.

 

Earlier in the day, former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had announced her party's support for the Congress in the October 6 Nandigram bypoll, hours after her candidate withdrew from the contest.