RSP fields own candidate for Rejinagar bypoll, defying Left Front's CPI(M) choice
Synopsis
The CPI(M)-led Left Front in West Bengal has cracked open just weeks before the Rejinagar bypoll — with the RSP fielding its own candidate against the officially declared CPI(M) nominee, citing repeated sacrifice of its historic claim over the seat. A split Left vote in Murshidabad on 6 October could reshape the contest's outcome.
Key Takeaways
The RSP has fielded Bikash Chandra Mishra for the Rejinagar bypoll , defying the Left Front's official nominee Sayeed Asad Ali of CPI(M) .
The RSP accused CPI(M) of unilaterally imposing Ali's candidature rather than reaching a consensus within the front.
The Rejinagar bypoll in Murshidabad district is scheduled for 6 October 2026 , with results on 9 October .
The seat fell vacant after Humayun Kabir (AJUP) won both Naoda and Rejinagar and chose to retain Naoda; his son Gulam Nabi Azad is the AJUP candidate.
The nomination deadline for Rejinagar and the concurrent Nandigram bypoll is 16 September 2026 .
The contest now features candidates from TMC , Congress , BJP , AJUP , RSP , and a rebel TMC faction.
A open rebellion has erupted within the CPI(M)-led Left Front in West Bengal, with the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) fielding its own candidate for the Rejinagar Assembly constituency bypoll in Murshidabad district, directly defying the officially declared Left Front nominee. The bypoll is scheduled for 6 October 2026, with results on 9 October.
How the Rebellion Unfolded
On 12 September, the Left Front announced Sayeed Asad Ali, an advocate by profession and a CPI(M) member, as its official candidate for the Rejinagar bypoll. The RSP leadership immediately pushed back, alleging that Ali's nomination was not a unanimous decision of the front but rather a unilateral imposition by the CPI(M) leadership.
Rebelling openly, the RSP on Monday, 13 September, announced Bikash Chandra Mishra as its own candidate for the seat — setting the stage for a split Left vote in the constituency.
RSP's Claim Over Rejinagar
A senior state RSP leader defended the decision, citing the party's historical stake in the constituency. 'For a long time, the Rejinagar Assembly Constituency had been allotted to RSP. In the 2021 Assembly polls, we had sacrificed our claim for Rejinagar, because of the seat sharing arrangement with the Congress. Even in 2026, we sacrificed our claim for Rejinagar in support of the West Socialist Party candidate. But this we are not ready to sacrifice again. So, for the Rejinagar bypolls we have fielded Mishra, who is the son of the soil in the true sense,' the leader said.
Why the Rejinagar Seat Is Up for Bypoll
In the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections, former Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Humayun Kabir won both the Naoda and Rejinagar seats as an Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) candidate. He subsequently chose to retain Naoda, making a bypoll for Rejinagar unavoidable. Kabir's son Gulam Nabi Azad is now the AJUP candidate for the Rejinagar bye-election.
Full Contest Taking Shape
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress and the Congress have also fielded candidates for Rejinagar. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the rebel TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee were also expected to announce their nominees. The last date for filing nominations for Rejinagar and the concurrent Nandigram Assembly constituency bypoll in East Midnapore district is 16 September.
Notably, this is not the first time Left Front discipline has frayed in West Bengal ahead of a key electoral contest — internal seat-sharing disputes have periodically weakened the front's cohesion. A split Left vote in Murshidabad, a district with a significant minority population, could benefit rival parties, particularly the TMC and AJUP, making the RSP's rebellion consequential beyond intra-Left optics.
Point of View
A district with a complex communal and political geography, is unlikely to hurt the TMC or AJUP; it mainly harms the front's residual credibility. The deeper question is whether the Left Front remains a meaningful political unit in Bengal or is now simply a loose coalition of shrinking parties with competing survival instincts.
NationPress
14 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the RSP fielded its own candidate for the Rejinagar bypoll?
The RSP fielded its own candidate, Bikash Chandra Mishra, because it objected to the CPI(M) unilaterally naming Sayeed Asad Ali as the Left Front's official Rejinagar nominee without consensus. The RSP argues it has a longstanding historical claim to the Rejinagar seat and has twice sacrificed that claim in past elections for alliance partners.
When is the Rejinagar bypoll scheduled?
The Rejinagar Assembly constituency bypoll is scheduled for 6 October 2026, with results to be declared on 9 October. The last date for filing nominations is 16 September 2026.
Why did the Rejinagar seat fall vacant?
Former Trinamool Congress legislator Humayun Kabir won both Naoda and Rejinagar constituencies in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections as an AJUP candidate. He subsequently chose to retain Naoda, making a bypoll for Rejinagar mandatory under electoral rules.
Who are the main candidates in the Rejinagar bypoll?
Declared candidates include Sayeed Asad Ali (CPI(M)/Left Front), Bikash Chandra Mishra (RSP), and Gulam Nabi Azad (AJUP, son of Humayun Kabir). The TMC's Mamata Banerjee faction, Congress, BJP, and a rebel TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee are also fielding or expected to announce candidates.
What is the significance of the Left Front split for the Rejinagar bypoll outcome?
A divided Left vote could hand an advantage to other parties — particularly AJUP, TMC, or Congress — in a constituency where the Left's combined strength is already limited. Analysts note that internal fissures of this kind have historically weakened the Left Front's electoral performance in West Bengal in recent years.
