Kolkata, May 19 (IANS) Jahangir Khan, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) nominee from the Falta Assembly seat, announced his withdrawal from the electoral race on Tuesday, barely two days ahead of the repolls. This resulted in pointed jibes and taunts from the ruling BJP, which swept the recently held Bengal Assembly elections with an overwhelming majority, as well as criticism from some members of his own party.

Jahangir Khan, a key aide of Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, announced at a press conference that he was withdrawing his nomination in the repoll for the Falta constituency in the larger public interest.

“I am a son of the soil of Falta and want peace and development. The West Bengal Chief Minister is providing a special package for Falta. Hence, I am not contesting the re-polls. I have taken this decision for the people of Falta,” he said.

Also, distancing himself from violence in the constituency during the polls, he said, “I didn’t indulge in any malpractice during polling. I do not know who did. I was in my office.”

BJP, taking cognizance of Abhishek Banerjee’s aide withdrawing from repolls, hurled a ‘Lyari’ jibe at the Trinamool and said that it was payback time for muscle-flexing TMC men and also to hold them accountable for the spate of crimes under their watch earlier.

Referring to ‘Lyari’ from Bollywood thriller, BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said, “Just as a place named ‘Lyari’ is depicted in the film ‘Dhurandhar’, a ‘Lyari’ of sorts exists in Falta, West Bengal. It is a place that Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Alamgir, all TMC leaders, collectively created. The local residents believe that these individuals are, in themselves, antisocial elements. Numerous FIRs had been lodged against them; however, during TMC’s tenure in power, the police would refuse to register these complaints. A great deal transpired during that period as well. Now, a significant number of these FIRs will be reopened, where they will be brought to book for previous crimes.”

Notably, the Falta constituency in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, is heading to repolls on May 21, after the Election Commission revoked the elections due to electoral offenses, including violence and threats to voters.

–IANS

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