Jalpaiguri: Star athlete Swapna Barman filed her nomination as the TMC candidate from Rajganj on Monday — the last day for filing — after days of uncertainty that had kept her off the campaign trail.
Swapna was employed as a welfare officer in the Indian Railways. After she was named a candidate, railways issued her a show-cause for attending a political meeting. When she resigned, it wasn't accepted because an inquiry was already on.
The Calcutta HC eventually directed the railways to terminate her — but that triggered a fresh hurdle, as norms bar those dismissed from govt service from contesting elections for five years without prior EC clearance. The clearance did not arrive until Sunday.