Milan Pradhan, the Congress hopeful for the Nandigram Assembly seat, won interim bail from the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday, permitting him to resume campaigning for the Oct 6 bypoll. The six criminal cases, filed in 2007 during the anti‑land‑acquisition agitation, accuse him of murder, attempted murder and violation of the Arms Act—charges that had kept him behind bars since the early years of the movement.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh set the bail at Rs 20,000 per case and ordered Pradhan to appear before the trial court on Oct 21, with the interim relief expiring on Oct 20. The decision gives the candidate a narrow window to mobilise voters while he remains a fugitive of the legal system.
The Nandigram seat was vacated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who chose to retain the Bhabanipur seat he won earlier this year after the state elections. Adhikari’s move left the constituency open for a tight contest between the ruling party and the opposition.
Campaigning ends on Oct 4, and vote counting will take place on Oct 9—meaning Pradhan has just over a month to rally support, file the required bail bonds, and prepare for the final tally.
The high court’s order comes as the Congress party hopes to regain a foothold in a region that has been a battleground for land‑rights protests since 2007, while the opposition watches closely for any sign of a shift in voter sentiment.