BJP to win both Nandigram, Rejinagar bypolls: Sukanta Majumdar
Synopsis
Days before candidate lists close, BJP's Sukanta Majumdar is banking on a split Left-Congress-TMC vote to hand the party both Nandigram and Rejinagar on 6 October — while simultaneously raising the heat on TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee over a CID probe and promising UCC implementation in West Bengal.
Key Takeaways
Sukanta Majumdar predicted a BJP win in both Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls on 6 October 2026 .
BJP named Hasirani Rath (Nandigram) and Sakharav Sarkar (Rejinagar) as its candidates on 15 September .
Majumdar argued a fragmented Left, Congress, and TMC field in Rejinagar would benefit the BJP.
He warned that TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee could face arrest if CID evidence supports his assistant Sumit Roy's reported disclosures.
Majumdar confirmed a state committee has been formed to advance Uniform Civil Code implementation in West Bengal, citing Home Minister Amit Shah's directive.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, expressed strong confidence that the BJP will clinch both the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly seats in the upcoming West Bengal bypolls scheduled for 6 October. Majumdar's remarks came on the same day the BJP announced its candidates for both constituencies.
Candidates Announced
The BJP named Hasirani Rath as its candidate from Nandigram and Sakharav Sarkar from Rejinagar. Hasirani Rath is the mother of Chandranath Rath, a former personal assistant to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Sakharav Sarkar, meanwhile, is a former BJP President of Murshidabad district and a member of the party's state committee.
Majumdar on the Political Arithmetic
Majumdar argued that a fragmented opposition would work in the BJP's favour. “Both BJP candidates will win. Because the Left has fielded two candidates in Rejinagar. In the coming days, there will be candidates from the CPI-M and Congress, and the Trinamool Congress will also field one or two candidates. Altogether, whatever political mix emerges, you will find the fragrance of the BJP in it,” he said.
This comes amid a broader contest in West Bengal where the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) faces opposition from both the BJP and a resurgent Left-Congress alliance — a dynamic that the BJP hopes will split the anti-incumbency vote.
CID Probe Into Abhishek Banerjee's Residence
Reacting to the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department's inquiry at the residence of Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, Majumdar stopped short of predicting a specific outcome but said the investigation would follow wherever the evidence leads. He stated that Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Banerjee, had reportedly shared information with the West Bengal Police or CID regarding instructions he allegedly received.
“Naturally, based on whatever he (Sumit Roy) says, the West Bengal Police will go there and search for all the documents. That is the job of the police and part of the investigation. If Sumit Roy has said anything about Abhishek Banerjee and all those documents are found, then Abhishek Banerjee will also have to go to jail,” Majumdar said. The TMC has not publicly responded to these specific allegations.
Majumdar Backs UCC Implementation in West Bengal
On the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Majumdar asserted that it would be implemented in West Bengal, citing recent remarks by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “The Home Minister has said it today, which means the order has been given. Our government is working accordingly. The Chief Minister has already formed a committee, and the committee is speaking to everyone,” he said.
Majumdar framed the UCC as a constitutional imperative, arguing that the founding document prohibits discrimination on grounds of caste, creed, or religion — discrimination he said had persisted until now. The UCC remains a politically charged issue in West Bengal, a state with a significant Muslim population and strong opposition from the TMC.
What to Watch
With the 6 October bypoll date approaching, attention will turn to whether the TMC names its candidates swiftly and whether the Left-Congress seat-sharing arrangement holds in Rejinagar. The outcome in Nandigram — a constituency historically tied to Chief Minister Adhikari — will be closely watched as a political bellwether for the state ahead of the next Assembly election.
Point of View
Yet fielding a first-time candidate — the CM's former PA's mother — suggests the party's bench strength in the seat is limited. The Rejinagar bet on vote-splitting is a familiar BJP playbook in Bengal, but it requires the Left and Congress to actually divide their vote rather than consolidate behind one. The CID probe remarks are significant: they signal the BJP intends to make the Abhishek Banerjee investigation a campaign issue, keeping pressure on TMC even before polling day. The UCC push, timed to Amit Shah's statement, is equally calculated — an ideological signal to the BJP's core voter in a state where the party has struggled to convert sentiment into seats.
NationPress
15 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which seats are being contested in the West Bengal bypolls on 6 October?
The West Bengal bypolls scheduled for 6 October 2026 cover the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies. The BJP has named Hasirani Rath and Sakharav Sarkar as its candidates for the two seats, respectively.
Who are the BJP candidates for the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls?
Hasirani Rath, mother of former Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant Chandranath Rath, has been fielded from Nandigram. Sakharav Sarkar, a former BJP President of Murshidabad district and party state committee member, is the candidate from Rejinagar.
What is the CID investigation that Sukanta Majumdar referenced?
The West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department reportedly conducted an inquiry at the residence of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee. Majumdar said Banerjee's personal assistant Sumit Roy had allegedly provided information to the police about instructions he received, and warned that Banerjee could face arrest if documents back those claims.
What did Sukanta Majumdar say about the Uniform Civil Code in West Bengal?
Majumdar stated that the UCC would be implemented in West Bengal, citing Home Minister Amit Shah's recent directive. He added that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had already constituted a committee to consult stakeholders, and argued the UCC was necessary to end discrimination based on caste, creed, or religion.
Why does Majumdar believe the BJP will win despite the TMC's dominance in Bengal?
Majumdar argued that a fragmented opposition — with the Left fielding multiple candidates in Rejinagar alongside Congress and TMC entries — would split the non-BJP vote and work in the party's favour. The BJP is banking on that vote division rather than a direct majority swing.
