The BJP won 207 of the 293 seats in Bengal polls for which results were declared on May 4. The party comfortably crossed the 147-seat majority mark, while the TMC secured 80 seats.
West Bengal Police said the cases against Pradhan include allegations of rioting, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and criminal intimidation, along with offences under the Arms Act.
Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, the Team Mamata candidate, who earlier had withdrawn his nomination from the Rejinagar seat, is now back in the poll race.
The arrest came shortly after Banerjee said her camp would not field another candidate from Nandigram following the withdrawal of Sanchita Pradhan De, the nominee of the Mamata-led Trinamool faction.
The announcement came hours after Sanchita Pradhan De, the Trinamool Congress candidate from Mamata Banerjee's camp, withdrew her candidature with barely a month to go for the crucial bypoll.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction has sent alternative name and symbol choices to the Election Commission after the Trinamool Congress identity was frozen for the October 6 bypolls. The move comes amid a deepening split in the party after its Assembly poll setback and subsequent defections.
The Election Commission has frozen the Trinamool Congress' name and 'Flowers & Grass' symbol for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly bypolls. Both factions have been asked to submit three choices each for party names and free symbols by 11 AM on September 18.
The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday set aside a West Bengal Fire Services Department order directing occupants to vacate the sixth and seventh floors of a Kolkata building housing TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's office. The court ordered a fresh inspection after considering the party's reply.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said Dhaka had not received an invitation for Rahman to attend the summit as Bangladesh's prime minister. Dhaka said that Rahman's first visit to India should be a bilateral engagement when the "environment is positive."
The announcement came as the Bengal government laid out a series of measures and guidelines for the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations, including a 1 lakh grant for Puja committees, free electricity and a waiver of the fee for mandatory fire safety licences.
Abhishek Banerjee alleged political vendetta after action at a TMC office, claiming workers were manhandled and the party signboard removed without due process. TMC has moved the Calcutta High Court, with the matter likely to be heard on Friday.
In his plea, Abhishek Banerjee also told the Calcutta High Court that he was unaware of several FIRs being registered against him and had sought police assistance to ensure that he was informed about such cases.
Kasem Siddiqui has returned to Mamata Banerjee's camp after leaving the rebel TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. His move comes as the party's internal battle over Opposition leadership and a floor test continues.
Mahua Moitra had moved the high court after a court in West Bengal's Nadia district issued the warrant on August 19, citing her failure to comply with repeated directions to appear before it.
Mahua Moitra has moved the Calcutta High Court against an arrest warrant issued by a Krishnanagar court in a remarks case. The plea centres on her claim that parliamentary duties and a pending exemption application were overlooked before the warrant was issued.
Justice Shuvra Ghosh recused herself from hearing Sujit Bose's bail plea after alleging that his lawyer and her private secretary tried to access case records from her chamber. The incident has sent the matter to the Acting Chief Justice for reassignment to another bench.
Bangladesh's parliament elected veteran BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as president on Thursday. The move completes his decades-long journey from student activism and public service to the nation's top constitutional office.
The Calcutta High Court's division bench refused interim relief to the TMC in its challenge to rebel MLA Ritabrata Banerjee's appointment as West Bengal Leader of Opposition. The matter was sent back to a single bench, which must decide within two months. Ritabrata will continue as LoP meanwhile.
Bangladesh has said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's proposed India visit depends on a propitious environment. Dhaka has asked New Delhi to act on Sheikh Hasina's extradition and awaits a response.
RAW chief Parag Jain met Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's defence affairs advisor in Dhaka on Monday. The visit came as both sides try to steady strained bilateral ties.
