Pre-Election Heat: Days Before Falta Assembly Re-poll, TMC Leader And Close Aide Of Jahangir Khan Arrested

New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming assembly re-election in Diamond Harbour's Falta constituency, local police on Saturday arrested Saidul Khan, a prominent Trinamool Congress leader and vice-president of the Falta Panchayat Samiti.

Khan, who is known to be a close associate of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan, was taken into custody by officers from the Falta police station on charges of attempted murder and inciting political violence.

The arrest follows a history of complaints against Saidul, who has been repeatedly accused of political violence and attempted murder. Police conducted a raid on his home Friday night as part of their investigation, leading to his arrest. So far, the Trinamool Congress has not offered any official comment on the matter.

The re-poll in Falta will take place on May 21 under instructions from the Election Commission, followed by the announcement of results on May 24. This crucial vote comes at a time when the state is already witnessing a broader political shift.

In a historic political shift, the BJP has formed the government in the state, ousting the Trinamool Congress from power.

Newly appointed Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is slated to chair an administrative meeting in Diamond Harbour later today, which will be followed by a strategy session to campaign for the upcoming Falta re-poll. The Chief Minister is also scheduled to lead a major roadshow in Falta on May 19, the final day of campaigning.

Against this high-stakes backdrop, Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan made a rare public appearance in Falta on Friday. Khan left his residence in the morning to visit his party office in the Serampore area. The office had recently been vandalized and draped in BJP flags by opposition workers immediately following the BJP's ascent to power in the state.

Jahangir said, "Since the BJP came to power, the administration has been framing Trinamool leaders and workers in false cases every day with the help of the central forces, that is why I did not come out in public to maintain peace and order in the area. The police sent me back home, which is a lie. I was at home. I did not come out in public to avoid unrest as the administration is waging atrocities.

The development follows past friction during the assembly elections, when Khan accused EC-appointed police observer Ajay Pal Sharma of threatening his family and local voters in Falta. Echoing these concerns, the Trinamool Congress has strongly questioned the observer's mandate to enter their candidate's home and issue such threats.

The allegations gained traction following a viral video, purportedly shot near Khan’s home, which shows Sharma issuing warnings to locals. According to the TMC, the official has been intimidating residents through late-night searches and has even been accused of acting inappropriately toward women.

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