“We won’t bow to him. We’re Bengalis right here. If he’s ‘Singham’, I’m ‘Pushpa’. Any intimidation or coercion by the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering-appointed Uttar Pradesh police officer won’t be tolerated in Falta,” Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Jahangir Khan snarled late final month, a day after Uttar Pradesh police officer Ajay Pal Sharma arrived at his residence in western Falta. We’re searching for him within the Diamond Harbor space of Bengal.
Khan had gained notoriety for allegedly utilizing coercion to make sure his writ grew within the 2024 meeting elections, which gave TMC deputy commander Abhishek Banerjee a lead of greater than 100,000 votes. However a month later, with Falta state due for a second vote on Might twenty first (which the Electoral Fee (EC) ordered on April twenty eighth following widespread voting fraud), the state’s political panorama has fully modified. Plainly Khan was the identical means.
TMC candidate Falta on Tuesday mentioned he was “withdrawing” his candidature as Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari promised a “particular package deal” for the constituency. Based on voting guidelines, Khan can not withdraw his candidacy as a result of the deadline to withdraw his nomination has handed. Nevertheless, after the announcement, the TMC is just not anticipated to place up a lot resistance and locals predict a contest between BJP’s Devanshu Panda and CPI(M) candidate Shambhu Kurmi.
TMC mentioned in a press release that Mr Khan’s resolution was his personal and never that of the get together. “For the reason that election outcomes have been introduced on Might 4, greater than 100 members of our get together have been arrested in Falta AC alone. A number of get together workplaces have been vandalized, closed and forcibly occupied in broad daylight with threats, whereas the EC continues to show a blind eye regardless of repeated complaints. Nevertheless, our get together employees stay steadfast and proceed to withstand the intimidation of the BJP by means of its establishments and authorities. Nevertheless, some finally succumbed to strain.” We strongly condemn this and the battle in opposition to the “Bangla Bilodhi” Bharatiya Janata Social gathering in each West Bengal and Delhi will proceed. ”
Jahangir Khan’s resolution to withdraw from the Falta re-polls is his private resolution and never that of his get together.
For the reason that election outcomes have been introduced on Might 4, greater than 100 members of our get together have been arrested in Falta AC alone. Some get together workplaces…
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) Might 19, 2026
Khan’s feedback got here at a time when Adhikari was addressing a roadshow in Falta. Minutes earlier than the roadshow, Mr. Adhikari focused the TMC candidate and mentioned, “There lives a dacoit right here named Jahangir Khan. I’ll take crucial motion in opposition to him after this election.” The CM introduced that the federal government will present jobs to the households of these killed within the 2021 post-poll violence. “The place is the self-proclaimed Pushpa? Since he had no different choice as no polling agent was coming to him, he determined to run away,” mentioned Adhikari, who was campaigning in Falta.
“Some individuals are attempting to turn out to be ‘Pushpa’ however ‘Pushpa’ has ‘failed’ this time. So all these ‘Pushpas’ and their bosses, ‘AB There was a photograph in Diamond Harbor with the phrases ‘Jukega Nahi’ written on it. Everyone seems to be hunkering down now. AB’s representatives are additionally hunkering down now. Don’t be concerned. reporters.
#clock | Kolkata, West Bengal: Commenting on TMC candidate Jahangir Khan’s withdrawal of candidature forward of re-polls in Falta, commerce union president Sukanta Majumdar mentioned, “Some individuals are attempting to turn out to be ‘Pushpas’ however ‘Pushpas’ have ‘failed’ this time. So all these ‘Pushpas’ and their bosses… pic.twitter.com/PhbiMlRbft
— Ani (@ANI) Might 19, 2026
Who’s Jahangir Khan?
Mr Khan’s rivals accuse him of ruling Falta by pressure and intimidation for greater than a decade. Born right into a household of CPI(M) leaders. His father, the late Akbar Khan, and brother Salim Khan have been referred to as left-wing leaders within the area. Khan started his political profession with a left-wing get together and later began an embroidery enterprise.
Because the TMC turned more and more highly effective and appeared prepared to finish Left-wing rule within the wake of the Singur and Nandigram actions, Khan transferred to Mamata Banerjee’s get together earlier than the 2008 panchayat elections. Presently, he was near TMC chief Bhaktaram Mondal. In that election, Khan was elected pradhan of Bersingha-II gram panchayat.
Falta, which has a roughly equal Hindu and Muslim inhabitants, has not witnessed prolonged rule by one get together since 1952. Nevertheless, with the rise of Abhishek Banerjee, TMC’s early chief and former Falta MLA Tamonash Ghosh misplaced assist from the get together management and was changed by Khan.
In 2023, Khan turned a member of the Zilla Parishad. By then, he had sidelined all the prevailing TMC leaders, together with former leaders Mondal and Ghosh, who have been very near Mamata Banerjee. Ghosh handed away in the course of the coronavirus pandemic and Mondal joined the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering. With Falta in his palms, Mr. Khan and his brother-in-law Saidul Islam took management of the area, however nobody dared to face as much as them, their political opponents claimed. Now all the pieces has modified.
