NEW DELHI: Days before the re-polls, Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan from West Bengal’s Falta on Tuesday withdrew his nomination.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.This comes after the Election commission scrapped the polls in Falta assembly constituency citing “severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process.”Cases of voter intimidation and alleged tampering with EVMs, including blocking opposition candidates’ names, were reported across booths in Falta. Inadequate CCTV footage also made it impossible to verify the fairness of the polling process.The repolling in Falta seat is scheduled to take place on May 21.Earlier, West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari took direct aim at Jahangir, who had compared himself to blockbuster film Pushpa’s smuggler-turned-strongman.While addressing a rally in Diamond Harbour, Adhikari said, “Where is that Pushpa — the dacoit? He is not seen anywhere now. The National Human Rights Commission declared 19 persons as notorious criminals in 2021. Jahangir was one of them. Leave him to me. I will take care of him.”Ahead of the rally, police arrested Saidul Khan, a close aide of Jahangir and Trinamool’s Falta vice-president, on multiple charges including death threats.In the 2026 assembly elections, BJP secured 207 seats to end the party’s 15-year rule in the state. Meanwhile, TMC managed to win only 80 seats.
