Voting for the by-elections to West Bengal’s Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly seats will take place on Tuesday (October 6). The campaign for the two constituencies ended on Sunday after a high-voltage contest between the ruling and opposition parties.
The bypolls are the first electoral test for the BJP after ending the Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) 15-year rule and coming to power in West Bengal in May. The results are expected to provide an early indication of voters’ response to the BJP government’s performance, while opposition parties will seek to establish themselves in a fragmented political landscape.
Voting On October 6, Counting On October 9
Polling will be held in both constituencies on October 6, while counting of votes will take place on October 9.
Political analysts have described the contests as significant amid the BJP’s emergence as the ruling party in the state. One of the key questions is which opposition force will occupy the political space against the BJP.
The BJP formed the government in West Bengal for the first time in May after 15 years of TMC rule. The bypolls, being held just four months into the new government’s tenure, will not be a final verdict on its performance, but could provide early signals about public sentiment towards its functioning and policy decisions.
Nandigram Battle Holds Special Significance
The Nandigram contest carries particular political significance. The constituency was at the centre of Mamata Banerjee’s anti-land acquisition movement, which played a key role in the TMC’s rise to power in 2011.
In 2021, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari defeated then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from Nandigram. Adhikari retained the Nandigram seat in the 2026 Assembly elections but chose to retain Bhabanipur, necessitating the bypoll in Nandigram.
The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of Chandranath Rath, a former associate of Adhikari. Chandranath was shot dead on May 6, two days after the BJP’s victory in the Assembly elections. Hasirani Rath’s candidature has added an emotional dimension to the contest.
Mamata Backs Congress Candidate In Nandigram
Sanchita Pradhan De, the candidate of the TMC faction led by Mamata Banerjee, withdrew from the Nandigram contest after meeting Chief Minister Adhikari.
Mamata Banerjee subsequently extended her support to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, describing the move as an effort to strengthen the INDIA bloc.
After Banerjee announced her support, Pradhan was arrested in connection with old cases related to the 2007 Nandigram land acquisition movement. He later secured interim bail from the Calcutta High Court and campaigned in the constituency.
The TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee has fielded Mohammad Eteshamul Haque on the ‘Envelope’ symbol, while the CPI has nominated Shantigopal Giri.
The Nandigram contest has therefore emerged as a test of strategic cooperation, with Mamata Banerjee’s faction backing the Congress candidate while the BJP seeks to retain the advantage it secured in the Assembly elections.
Rejinagar Sees Contest Over Minority Votes
The political equation in Rejinagar is different. Humayun Kabir won both Rejinagar and Naoda in the 2026 Assembly elections but chose to retain Naoda, leaving the Rejinagar seat vacant.
His Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) has fielded his son, Ghulam Nabi Azad, from Rejinagar. Kabir had won the Rejinagar seat by around 59,000 votes.
The contest features BJP candidate Sakharav Sarkar, a former Murshidabad district president; Rabiul Alam Chowdhury from the Mamata-led TMC faction; rival TMC candidate Safiuzzaman Sheikh; Congress candidate Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi; and CPI(M)’s Syed Asad Ali.
The RSP withdrew its candidate after objecting to the Election Commission’s decision to allot the party the ‘Bucket’ symbol instead of its traditional ‘Spade and Pickaxe’ symbol.
AJUP had also objected to the replacement of its ‘Whistle’ symbol with the ‘Table’ symbol.
The Mamata-led faction faced uncertainty after Chowdhury announced his withdrawal, citing pressure on workers and difficulties in campaigning under a new identity. However, he later reversed the decision following discussions with the party chief.
While Nandigram has emerged as a test of strategic cooperation, Rejinagar is being viewed as a contest shaped by political fragmentation and organisational strength.
For the Congress, the two constituencies present contrasting situations — it has Mamata Banerjee’s support in Nandigram while contesting independently in Rejinagar.
The results could further fuel the debate within the party over whether it should rebuild its organisation independently or pursue strategic coordination with anti-BJP forces such as the TMC.
At the same time, the Congress is also mindful of its experience during the TMC’s 15-year rule, when, according to the source, the TMC sought to weaken the Congress organisation in the state.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
