IndiaPosted at: Sep 18 2026 10:55PM


Rahul Gandhi calls Milan Pradhan’s arrest ‘political vendetta’, accuses BJP of trying to ‘steal democracy’

New Delhi, Sep 18 (UNI) Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday described the reported arrest of Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, who is contesting the Nandigram Assembly by-election in West Bengal, as an act of “political vendetta” and an attack on democracy.
In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Gandhi alleged that Pradhan’s arrest was not a coincidence but part of a deliberate political strategy, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of seeking to undermine the electoral process rather than face a fair contest.
Gandhi said the BJP had no faith in free and fair elections and was attempting to retain power through what he described as “vote theft, government theft and party theft”.
“BJP ka nishpaksh chunav mein bharosa hi nahi — isliye kabhi vote chori, kabhi sarkar chori aur kabhi party chori se satta bachana chahti hai,” Gandhi wrote, alleging that the ruling party was using different means to prevent a genuine electoral contest.
He further accused the BJP of seeking to eliminate electoral competition altogether, rather than fight elections on a level playing field. “Woh chunav nahi ladna chahte, chunavi muqabla hi khatam kar dena chahte hain,” he said.
Gandhi’s remarks came amid mounting political controversy over the arrest of Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate for the Nandigram Assembly by-election. Reports said Pradhan was taken into custody in connection with an old case linked to the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement. The arrest took place hours after former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced support for his candidature after her faction’s nominee withdrew from the contest.
The timing of the arrest has triggered allegations of political motivation from the Congress and Trinamool Congress leaders, while reports also carried the police position that the action was connected to an old criminal case.
Gandhi further declared that the Congress would not be intimidated by the developments. “Congress na daregi, na jhukegi. Hum ladenge bhi, jeetenge bhi,” he said, asserting the party’s determination to continue its political fight.
The Nandigram by-election has assumed added political significance amid developments involving the rival factions of the Trinamool Congress and the evolving electoral alignments in West Bengal. The contest is scheduled for October 6.
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