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Bypolls for two Assembly constituencies in West Bengal, Nandigram and Rejinagar, scheduled for October 6, are proceeding with diminished ground-level contestation. The electoral exercise has been marked by candidate withdrawals and an arrest, raising concerns about the fairness of the process.
In Nandigram, a predominantly rural constituency in coastal Purba Medinipur district, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Hasirani Rath. She is the mother of Suvendu Adhikari’s slain personal assistant, Chandranath Rath, who was shot dead on May 6. Ms. Rath's campaign, which included offering puja at 13 local temples in late September, leverages an emotional appeal. She expressed confidence in winning, aiming for a victory margin of 1.5 lakh votes.
Mr. Adhikari, who accompanied Ms. Rath when she filed her nomination papers, declared the BJP would win by an "unimaginable" margin. He stated that Chandranath Rath's "biggest sin" was being his aide. Mr. Adhikari, whose home district is Nandigram, considers the constituency a prestige fight. He defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by 1,956 votes in Nandigram in 2021. In 2026, he won the seat again by approximately 9,665 votes before vacating it to represent Bhabanipur.
The opposition in Nandigram has faced significant hurdles. Former Chief Minister Banerjee initially backed Sanchita Pradhan Dey, who later withdrew. She then supported Congress nominee Milan Pradhan. Within hours of his nomination, Mr. Pradhan was arrested in connection with a 19-year-old case. He remains in judicial custody until October 3, with his bail plea denied by the Calcutta High Court on September 22.
Mr. Pradhan was a prominent leader and activist in Nandigram's land movement in 2007. His wife, Arpita, questioned the timing of the arrest, noting his consistent public presence. Congress leaders in West Bengal have united in response, with campaign members telling voters, "We are all Milan Pradhan." They assert that Ms. Banerjee also urged support for their candidate. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Parliament, condemned the arrest as "political revenge, the murder of democracy." He accused the BJP of lacking faith in fair elections.
The Left Front has put forward Communist Party of India’s Shanti Gopal Giri for the bypoll. Public sentiment in Nandigram is divided. Purnima, 50, from Gopalchak, expressed sympathy for Ms. Rath, stating, "A mother lost her child in these politics. We are bound to vote for her." Conversely, Amina Bibi, 65, from Mohammadpur, who fought alongside Suvendu Adhikari during the 2007 protests, criticized him. She claimed he has not returned to the area as Chief Minister and has done nothing for the residents. Another resident from Mohammadpur, in his mid-50s, lamented the absence of fair elections, stating, "In a democracy every candidate should get a fair chance to campaign and contest. That is missing here."
Rejinagar Contest
In Rejinagar, located in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, the electoral landscape also appears one-sided. While graffiti from opposition parties adorns walls, the BJP is the sole party actively campaigning. This constituency, with 56 lakh voters, has approximately 69% Muslim electorate. It is a predominantly rural area with limited employment opportunities, leading to youth migration for work.
Rejinagar holds historical significance, situated less than 15 kilometres from Plassey. The constituency was a focal point in the 2026 Assembly polls due to Aam Janata Unnyan Party (AJUP) leader Humayun Kabir’s attempt to construct a mosque styled after the Babri Masjid. Mr. Kabir's campaign on this issue split Muslim votes and polarized Hindus, contributing to the fall of the 15-year-old Trinamool Congress government. Kabir, expelled from the Trinamool Congress, won from Naoda and Rejinagar, vacating the latter after a victory margin exceeding 58,000 votes. The mosque project has since stalled, and its site is now desolate.
The region has also witnessed past unrest, including violent protests during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) demonstrations in 2019. In 2024, an explosion during a Ram Navami procession injured about 20 people. The BJP currently holds significant power in the 294-member Assembly with 207 MLAs. The Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, is contesting these bypolls under a new symbol, a footballer, replacing its traditional flowers-and-grass insignia.
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