Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls put West Bengal parties to test

West Bengal will hold byelections in Nandigram and Rejinagar on October 6, in contests involving 16 and 21 candidates respectively, according to The Hindu. The bypolls follow the BJP’s victory in the 2026 Assembly election, when it won 208 of the state’s 294 seats. The Trinamool Congress finished second with 80 seats.

The Election Commission has assigned separate names and symbols to two rival Trinamool factions. The faction led by Mamata Banerjee is contesting as the Mamata All India Trinamool Congress with a football-player symbol. The Ritabrata Banerjee faction is using the name Democratic Trinamool Congress and an envelope symbol.

Nandigram became vacant after Suvendu Adhikari resigned from the seat and retained Bhabanipur. The BJP has nominated Hasirani Rath, whose son, Chandranath Rath, was Adhikari’s personal assistant and was killed in post-poll violence this year. Sanchita Pradhan, the Mamata faction candidate, withdrew after meeting Adhikari, and the faction backed Congress candidate Milan Pradhan.

Pradhan was later arrested in connection with a 17-year-old case linked to the Nandigram land agitation. The Democratic Trinamool Congress has nominated Eteshamul Haque. The contest also includes CPI candidate Shanti Gopal Giri, an Aam Janata Unnayan Party candidate, an All India Secular Front candidate and independents.

Rejinagar was vacated by Humayun Kabir. The Mamata faction has chosen two-time legislator Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, while the BJP has nominated Shankharavh Sarkar. The Democratic Trinamool Congress and CPI have also fielded candidates, alongside Congress and six independents.

Counting is scheduled for October 9.