West Bengal: 'Pushpa' Jahangir Khan withdraws from Falta re-poll

Days before re-polling in West Bengal’s controversial Falta Assembly constituency, Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Jahangir Khan, a close aide of Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of Mamata Banerjee, announced that he would no longer contest elections, triggering fresh political sparring in the state.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday (May 19), Khan said he was stepping aside in the interest of peace and development in Falta. “I am the son of Falta, and I want Falta to be at peace and grow. Our CM Suvendu Adhikari is giving a special package for the development of Falta, which is why I am separating myself from the re-polling,” he said.

Re-polling in Falta

Falta is set for repolling 17 days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the West Bengal Assembly elections and ended the TMC’s rule in the state. The Election Commission (EC) had cancelled polling in the constituency, which falls under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat represented by Abhishek Banerjee, citing “severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process” during voting held on April 29.

Also read: The battle after victory: Suvendu targets Abhishek’s turf as Falta goes to repoll

The EC flagged allegations of voter intimidation, obstruction of opposition polling agents, tampering with EVMs and inadequate CCTV footage that made verification of polling impossible across several booths.

Who is Jahangir Khan?

Jahangir Khan had emerged as one of the most talked-about figures during the election campaign after publicly challenging IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, who had been deployed as an election observer in Falta.

Sharma, known for his “Singham” image, had reportedly visited Khan’s residence ahead of polling to warn against voter intimidation.

Also read: ‘Singham’ cop Ajay Pal Sharma reviews Diamond Harbour polling amid BJP-TMC clash

Responding to Sharma’s reputation, Khan had declared, “If he is Singham, then I am Pushpa,” referring to the popular anti-hero from Indian cinema, while insisting he would never “bow down”.

TMC’s statement

Reacting to Khan’s withdrawal, the TMC alleged that a “climate of intimidation” had been created in the constituency after the declaration of the Assembly election results on May 4.

In a statement, the party claimed that more than 100 TMC workers had been arrested in Falta and that several party offices were vandalised, shut down or forcibly occupied “in broad daylight”.

Also read: EC orders full repoll in Falta; what are its implications? | Capital Beat

“Even in the face of such pressure, our workers remain rock-solid and continue to resist the BJP’s intimidation unleashed through agencies and the administration. However, some eventually succumbed to the pressure and chose to step away from the field,” the party said.

Political reactions

His withdrawal has now triggered ridicule from both political rivals and leaders within his own party.

Senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh mocked Khan, asking, “If Jahangir Khan was Pushpa, then why did he bow?”

The BJP has also intensified attacks on the TMC leadership over its visible absence from the Falta re-poll campaign. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya questioned why Abhishek Banerjee had stayed away despite the constituency being part of his parliamentary stronghold.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari repeatedly taunted Khan during campaign rallies, asking supporters, “Where is Pushpa?” while warning that those accused of poll-related violence would face action after the elections.