Hours after Trinamool Congress (TMC) released the list of candidates contesting the upcoming State Legislative polls in West Bengal, the supporters of former party MLA Arabul Islam burnt down his own party office as he was denied a ticket from his Bhangar constituency in South 24 Pargana. Arabul Islam had represented the constituency in 2006.
As per reports, the incident took place on Friday in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas after the TMC leader’s name did not feature in the list of candidates contesting the elections. While the party has denied ticket to incumbent MLA Abdur Razzak Molla, it has decided to field Rezaul Karim from the Bhangar seat. The supporters of Arabul Islam not only vandalised their own party office but also set it on fire. In a video that has now gone viral on social media, they were seen gathered around a bonfire that was initiated by setting the vacant party office ablaze.
Sourh 24 pargana ## TMC leader Arabul Islam and his workers vandalised Party office and burnt tyres .Showing protest after his ( Arabul Islam ) name didnot appear in the TMC Candidates list announced today .
— Syeda Shabana (@ShabanaANI2) March 5, 2021
Md Rejaul Karim is contesting from Bhangar . pic.twitter.com/6aRDpNlcrf
While speaking to PTI, Arabul Islam said, “I will do whatever the local people want me to do.” He also broke into tears, after being denied the party ticket. He claimed that the party has dumped everyone, who has been loyal to it. In a Facebook post, Arabul Islam said, “Dolar aajke amar proyjon furalo (I seize to be important for my party).” Besides Islam, sitting TMC MLAs Rafiqur Rahaman and Sonali Guha have also been denied party tickets.
ALERT: Influential TMC leader and a prominent minority face of the party sounds unhappy at not being fielded in #WestBengalElections . Arabul Islam takes to FB to say, ‘I seize to be important for my party’. pic.twitter.com/OQbneSlzOs
— Anindya (@AninBanerjee) March 5, 2021
On Friday, Mamata Banerjee announced, “Today, we are releasing a list of 291 candidates which includes 50 women, 42 Muslim candidates. On 3 seats of north Bengal, we not putting up our candidates. I will contest from Nandigram.” Earlier, the TMC had formed a 12-member election committee to give tickets to those with ‘clean image’ and decided to drop several sitting MLAs.
A TMC leader informed, “How the MLAs have performed in the last five years, their image in the area and acceptability will be the main parameters. This time we won’t be taking any chances. Reports by Prashant Kishor’s I-PAC on every MLA and their constituencies are likely to play a key role in the candidate selection.” The Election Commission of India on Friday announced an eight-phased Assembly poll for West Bengal beginning March 27. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
Arabul Islam has a criminal history, involved in scams and political murders
It must be mentioned that Arabul Islam was arrested in 2018 by West Bengal police for the murder of his opponent Hafijur Rahaman. Several crude bombs were also discovered at his residence, a day after his arrest. Islam has been involved in a multi-crore land scam and was arrested in 2013 for attacking CPI (M) leader Abdur Rezzak Mollah. He was also expelled from the party in 2014, following the death of 2 TMC workers.
BJP office vandalised in North 24 Parganas
Earlier, The BJP office in the Baranagar area of North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal was vandalised on the day when the Election Commission sounded the poll bugle in the state. The BJP has accused the TMC of being involved in vandalism. One of the miscreants involved in the attack was beaten up by the BJP supporters and was later rescued by the police and taken to the police station. The saffron party has also filed a complaint with the police with respect to the attack.