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Two days before repolling in West Bengal’s Falta Assembly constituency, Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan announced on Tuesday that he would no longer contest elections.

Khan, considered a close aide of Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, made the announcement amid heightened political tensions surrounding the constituency, where the Election Commission ordered fresh polling after scrapping the earlier election process.

Falta falls under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency represented by Abhishek Banerjee. However, the absence of senior Trinamool Congress leaders during campaigning ahead of the repoll has become a major talking point in the state’s political circles.

BJP Targets TMC Over Campaign Silence

The BJP questioned the apparent absence of the Trinamool Congress leadership from the constituency during the run-up to the repoll.

West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya publicly asked where Abhishek Banerjee was during campaigning in Falta, taking a swipe at the ruling party over its low-profile approach.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari also mocked Jahangir Khan while campaigning over the weekend, asking supporters, “Where’s Pushpa?”, a remark linked to Khan’s earlier comments comparing himself to the popular film character.

‘If He Is Singham, Then I Am Pushpa’

The “Pushpa” reference stemmed from an earlier exchange involving IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, who had been appointed poll observer before the elections.

Sharma had reportedly referred to himself as “Singham” during efforts to ensure strict enforcement ahead of polling. Responding to this, Khan had said, “If he is Singham, then I am Pushpa.”

The exchange gained attention after Sharma visited Khan’s residence ahead of polling and allegedly warned family members against intimidating voters on election day.

Election Commission Ordered Repoll In Falta

While election results for 293 Assembly seats in West Bengal were declared on May 4, polling in Falta was cancelled by the Election Commission of India over what it described as “severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process”.

The poll panel cited multiple complaints, including allegations of voter intimidation, EVM tampering and obstruction involving opposition candidates’ names at several booths.

Officials also pointed to inadequate CCTV footage, which reportedly made it impossible to independently verify whether polling had been conducted fairly.

Political War Of Words Intensifies

The controversy surrounding Falta has further escalated political attacks between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP.

Responding to questions about the absence of TMC campaigning, West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh alleged that earlier elections in the constituency had relied on “brute force” and intimidation rather than political outreach.

“The results are already known. The goondas have run away and there is no support from the police anymore. Who will campaign for them?” Ghosh said while attacking the ruling party over the situation in Falta.