Congress leader Jaidur Rahaman on Saturday announced he was going back on his word and would contest the bypoll from the Samserganj Assembly seat in Murshidabad.

The move comes as a huge relief for state Congress chief and Behrampore MP Adhir Chaudhury, who had been trying to persuade Jaidur to contest the election.

Jaidur had earlier decided not to contest citing family reasons. His brother happens to be Trinamul district president and MP Khalilur Rahaman.

Now, Jaidul will take on Trinamul’s Amirul Islam and CPM’s Modassar Hussain in the September 30 bypoll. Amirul had won the seat in the 2016 polls.

“I will actively participate in the contest as the Congress candidate and from today (Saturday) will join the campaign,” Jaidul told this paper.

Earlier in the day, a video clip went viral in which Jaidur said he had decided to contest.

“A few days ago, I announced my decision of withdrawing from the contest. I had begged pardon from Congress workers for my decision. However, I am reversing my earlier decision following pressure from a few (Congress) leaders and the people. I will contest as the Congress candidate. I hope the people of Samserganj won’t misunderstand me,” he said in the video address.

He confirmed the authenticity of the video later.

Congress sources said Jaidur, who lives in a joint family home and runs a tobacco business, had cited family compulsions for withdrawing from the battle earlier.

On Thursday morning, a delegation of Congress leaders, including Jangipur sub-divisional unit president Hassanuzzaman and MP Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury, had visited Jaidur’s home to convince him to contest the bypoll.

Jaidur had stuck to his stand even after the meeting. Afterwards, party workers had painted graffiti asking people to “vote for the Congress” without naming the candidate. This appeared to have changed Jaidur’s mind.

Asked about Jaidur’s decision to contest as a Congress candidate, Khalilur said: “I am unaware that he has changed his mind. We will discuss it within the family.”

Khalilur had earlier said that the Congress was putting pressure on his brother but such tactics would not work.

“This is not how politics works. He (Jaidur) has had a change of heart since April and should be allowed to step aside,” he had said earlier this week.

On Thursday, Jaidur had told reporters that he was “no more interested in politics" and was “busy with family business".

Since May, Jaidur had gone on record as an outspoken admirer of chief minister Mamata Banerjee and praised her in front of the media and on social media.

Bypolls for Samserganj and Jangipur seats were necessitated owing to the deaths of two candidates in the Assembly polls, respectively, Rezaul Haque of the Congress and Pradip Nandy of the RSP.