Bengal BJP pushes for simultaneous bypolls in Basirhat, Nandigram and Rejinagar
Synopsis
Nearly two years after the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat fell vacant, Bengal BJP is pushing the Election Commission to hold three simultaneous bypolls — Basirhat, Nandigram, and Rejinagar. With state BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya personally visiting Basirhat and directing candidate groundwork, the party is signalling it is ready to contest, even as poll dates remain unannounced.
Key Takeaways
Bengal BJP has demanded simultaneous bypolls for Basirhat Lok Sabha and Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly seats at the earliest.
The Basirhat seat has been vacant since the death of Haji Nurul Islam (TMC) on 25 September 2024 , nearly two years ago.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya visited Basirhat and directed local units to begin candidate selection and organisational preparation.
Nandigram vacancy arose after CM Suvendu Adhikari retained Bhabanipur , where he defeated former CM Mamata Banerjee by over 15,000 votes .
Rejinagar vacancy arose after AJUP founder Humayun Kabir retained the Naoda seat after winning both Naoda and Rejinagar.
The Election Commission of India has not yet announced dates for any of the three seats.
The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that by-elections for two Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat in the state be held simultaneously and at the earliest, pressing the Election Commission of India (ECI) to announce poll dates without further delay. The demand was renewed on 27 June amid growing party concern over prolonged electoral vacancies.
The Vacant Seats
The Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency in North 24 Parganas district has been without a representative since the death of sitting member Haji Nurul Islam of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on 25 September 2024. Islam had won the seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by a margin of over 3.70 lakh votes. The seat has now remained vacant for close to two years, with no bypoll announced yet.
The two Assembly seats pending by-elections are Nandigram in East Midnapore district and Rejinagar in the minority-dominated Murshidabad district.
Why the Bypolls Became Necessary
The Nandigram vacancy arose after the newly elected Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari contested the recent West Bengal Assembly elections simultaneously from both Bhabanipur in South Kolkata and Nandigram, winning both seats. Adhikari chose to retain Bhabanipur, where he defeated his predecessor and former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by a margin of over 15,000 votes, making a Nandigram bypoll mandatory.
Similarly, Humayun Kabir — founder of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and a former TMC legislator — contested simultaneously from Naoda and Rejinagar, both in Murshidabad district, winning both. He retained the Naoda seat, rendering a Rejinagar bypoll necessary.
BJP's Internal Preparations
State BJP president and Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya recently visited Basirhat and held a meeting with the party's Basirhat organisational district. According to party insiders, Bhattacharya stressed the need for all three bypolls to be held simultaneously and directed the local unit to begin organisational groundwork and candidate selection.
What the BJP Said
BJP state spokesman Debjit Sarkar said it has been nearly two years since the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat fell vacant. 'It is not desirable in a democratic system that a Lok Sabha seat remains without a representative for such a long time. Hence, we want the Election Commission of India to announce the date of the by-election without further delay,' Sarkar said.
The demand reflects both a democratic accountability argument and a strategic calculation — with the BJP eyeing organisational consolidation in constituencies that span key districts ahead of any scheduled poll cycle. The ECI has not yet announced dates for any of the three seats.
Point of View
Nandigram, and Rejinagar span districts where the party sees consolidation potential — and a single-window poll cycle limits TMC's ability to concentrate resources. The nearly two-year vacancy in Basirhat is a legitimate accountability gap that the ECI will struggle to defend indefinitely. But the BJP's directive to begin candidate selection before dates are announced signals that the party is treating this less as a civic demand and more as a campaign launch.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a bypoll needed for the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat?
The Basirhat Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after sitting TMC member Haji Nurul Islam passed away on 25 September 2024. He had won the seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by a margin of over 3.70 lakh votes. The seat has remained unrepresented for nearly two years, with the Election Commission yet to announce a bypoll date.
Why is a bypoll needed for the Nandigram Assembly seat?
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari contested the recent West Bengal Assembly elections from both Bhabanipur and Nandigram, winning both. He chose to retain Bhabanipur — where he defeated former CM Mamata Banerjee by over 15,000 votes — making a Nandigram bypoll mandatory under electoral rules.
Why is a bypoll needed for the Rejinagar Assembly seat?
AJUP founder and former TMC legislator Humayun Kabir won both Naoda and Rejinagar seats in Murshidabad district simultaneously. After retaining Naoda, the Rejinagar seat became vacant, necessitating a bypoll.
What has the BJP done to push for these bypolls?
State BJP president and Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya visited Basirhat and met with the party's local organisational district, stressing the need for all three bypolls to be held simultaneously. He also directed the unit to begin candidate selection. Party spokesman Debjit Sarkar has formally called on the ECI to announce dates without delay.
Has the Election Commission announced dates for these bypolls?
No. As of 27 June, the Election Commission of India has not announced dates for the Basirhat Lok Sabha bypoll or the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls. The BJP is demanding that all three be held simultaneously at the earliest.
