Nandigram bypoll turns into contest over absence and allegiance
West Bengal’s Nandigram bypoll is being fought by the BJP, Congress and Left after former Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari chose to represent another seat. The BJP is highlighting its candidate’s loss of her son, while the Congress is campaigning around its jailed nominee and alleging political interference.
West Bengal’s Nandigram Assembly bypoll has become an unusual contest in which the BJP is campaigning through the mother of a slain aide and the Congress is asking voters to support a candidate who is in judicial custody. The Left Front has also fielded a nominee, while the Trinamool Congress is supporting the Congress candidate after its own prospective nominee withdrew. The BJP’s candidate is Hasirani Rath, the mother of Chandranath Rath, who was shot dead on May 6, two days after the BJP formed the State government, according to the source material.
Suvendu Adhikari, whose former personal assistant Rath was, accompanied her when she filed her nomination. Hasirani Rath has said that Adhikari remains the leader of Nandigram and that she wants the party’s victory margin to reach 1.5 lakh votes. The Chief Minister has also urged voters to deliver the constituency’s highest-ever margin, while expressing confidence in a large BJP victory.
The Congress campaign is centred on its nominee, Milan Pradhan, who was arrested in a 19-year-old case after becoming the party’s candidate. He has been sent to judicial custody until October 3, and the Calcutta High Court rejected his bail plea on September 22. Congress workers are telling voters that they are campaigning in his place.
Pradhan’s wife questioned why he had not been arrested earlier, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi described the arrest as “political revenge, the murder of democracy”. The source material reports that the Congress leadership in West Bengal and the party’s national leadership have responded strongly to the case. The Left Front has nominated Communist Party of India candidate Shanti Gopal Giri.
Nandigram, a predominantly rural constituency in Purba Medinipur, has long been associated with political change. Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee there in 2021, then won the seat again in 2026 before choosing to represent Bhabanipur. The constituency has about 2.5 lakh people, with Muslims making up roughly 27% of the electorate.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.