In a significant development ahead of the upcoming elections, the nomination of Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Abhinaba Bhattacharya for the Krishnanagar North constituency has been rejected by the Returning Officer, citing legal complications under the Representation of the People Act.
According to Election Commission (EC) sources, Bhattacharya’s nomination was declared invalid due to a violation of Section 9A of the Act, which bars individuals from contesting elections if they are directly involved in government contracts or hold business interests linked to the state.
The EC observed that Bhattacharya had ongoing contractual engagements with the government at the time of filing his nomination, thereby constituting a “conflict of interest.”
The rejection comes just days after TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee publicly endorsed Bhattacharya at a rally in Santipur, a move that had stirred considerable political discussion in the constituency.
Reacting to the development, a visibly disappointed Bhattacharya termed the situation “an extremely unfortunate turn of events.” However, he reiterated his loyalty to the party, stating that he would abide by the leadership’s decisions and continue to support its campaign.
In a swift strategic move, the TMC has fielded Somnath Dutta as its candidate for the seat. Anticipating potential complications, the party had already submitted Dutta’s nomination papers as a backup measure.
With Bhattacharya out of the race, the focus now shifts to Dutta, who will carry forward the party’s campaign in Krishnanagar North under the TMC’s symbol. Political observers are closely watching how effectively the party can maintain its electoral momentum following this last-minute change.
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