Nandigram bypoll 2026: Six-way fight, but BJP's grip makes second spot the real contest
Synopsis
The Nandigram bypoll on 6 October is shaping up as BJP's contest to lose — with a sympathy-vote candidate, a clean sweep of all 16 East Midnapore seats in the Assembly polls, and a fractured six-way opposition. The real drama lies in whether any rival secures enough votes even to retain their deposit.
Key Takeaways
Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for 6 October 2026 ; results on 9 October 2026 .
The seat fell vacant after CM Suvendu Adhikari won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur and chose to retain Bhabanipur.
BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath , mother of slain personal assistant Chandranath Rath , adding an emotional dimension to the campaign.
The opposition is split across five candidates from TMC (two factions), CPI, Congress, and AISF.
BJP swept all 16 constituencies in East Midnapore in the earlier Assembly elections.
Mamata Banerjee's proposed seat-sharing deal with Congress reportedly collapsed before filing deadlines.
The Nandigram assembly constituency in East Midnapore district, West Bengal, is heading into a six-cornered electoral contest on 6 October 2026, with political observers suggesting the real battle is not for first place — which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is widely expected to win — but for the runner-up position. The bypoll was necessitated after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari won from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in this year's Assembly elections and opted to retain Bhabanipur, vacating the former seat.
How Nandigram Fell Vacant
In the Assembly elections held earlier this year, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari registered victories in both Nandigram and Bhabanipur. Notably, he defeated former Chief Minister and All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur. Adhikari chose to keep the Bhabanipur seat, making the Nandigram bypoll mandatory under electoral rules.
The BJP has swept all 16 constituencies in East Midnapore in the earlier Assembly polls. Nandigram has been a particularly strong BJP bastion since the 2021 Assembly elections, largely on the strength of Adhikari's political influence in the area.
BJP's Candidate and the Sympathy Factor
The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of Chandranath Rath — Adhikari's personal assistant who was shot dead in North 24 Parganas on 6 May, shortly after the Assembly election results were declared. Her candidature has introduced a strong emotional dimension into the campaign, which political analysts say has further consolidated the party's position in the constituency.
'The sympathy factor surrounding Hasirani Rath's candidature has further strengthened the BJP's position in the bypoll. The key question now is whether any of the non-BJP candidates can secure enough votes to retain their deposits,' a Kolkata-based political observer said.
Six Candidates, A Fragmented Opposition
Besides Hasirani Rath for the BJP, five other candidates are contesting: Sanchita Pradhan Dey from the Mamata Banerjee-led 'original-but-minority' faction of the TMC; Ehteshmul Haque from the Riatarbrata Banerjee-led 'rebel-but-majority' faction of the TMC; Shanti Gopal Giri of the Communist Party of India (CPI); Milan Pradhan of the Indian National Congress (Congress); and Mohammad Sabe Miraj Ali Khan of the All India Secular Front (AISF).
This crowded field means the anti-BJP vote is likely to split across multiple candidates, weakening any single challenger's prospect of mounting a meaningful contest for second place, let alone the top spot.
Mamata's Compromise Bid Falls Through
Efforts by TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to broker an electoral understanding ahead of the bypoll filings reportedly came undone. Banerjee is said to have offered to withdraw her faction's candidate from Nandigram if Congress agreed to stay out of the Rejinagar constituency — where bypolls are also scheduled on 6 October. The Congress high command reportedly declined the offer, locking in multi-cornered contests in both seats.
The bypolls for both Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly constituencies are scheduled for 6 October, with results to be declared on 9 October. The outcome is expected to offer a snapshot of the political mood in West Bengal ahead of state-level consolidation efforts by all major parties.
Point of View
The question of who finishes second — and whether opposition contenders can even save their deposits — is a telling measure of how thoroughly the anti-BJP space has collapsed in this district. The TMC's internal split, with two rival factions fielding candidates, underscores how the party's post-election schism is actively handing the BJP an easier passage in its own strongholds. Mamata Banerjee's failed bid to stitch a seat-sharing deal with Congress reveals the limits of her bargaining power in a landscape where she no longer controls the dominant bloc in the state legislature.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Nandigram bypoll being held in October 2026?
The Nandigram bypoll is being held because West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in this year's Assembly elections and chose to retain the Bhabanipur seat. Under electoral rules, vacating one seat made a bypoll for Nandigram mandatory. Polling is on 6 October, with results on 9 October.
Who is the BJP candidate for the Nandigram bypoll?
The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, the mother of Chandranath Rath, who was Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant and was shot dead in North 24 Parganas on 6 May, shortly after the Assembly election results. Her candidature is seen as carrying significant sympathy value for the party.
Who are the other candidates contesting the Nandigram bypoll?
Five other candidates are in the race: Sanchita Pradhan Dey (TMC's Mamata Banerjee faction), Ehteshmul Haque (TMC's Riatarbrata Banerjee faction), Shanti Gopal Giri (CPI), Milan Pradhan (Congress), and Mohammad Sabe Miraj Ali Khan (AISF). The multi-party field is expected to split the non-BJP vote.
Why did Mamata Banerjee's seat-sharing deal with Congress fail?
Mamata Banerjee reportedly offered to pull her faction's candidate from Nandigram if Congress stayed out of Rejinagar, the other seat going to bypolls on 6 October. The Congress high command declined the proposal, resulting in both seats seeing multi-cornered contests.
How strong is the BJP in Nandigram and East Midnapore?
The BJP is dominant in the region — it won all 16 assembly constituencies in East Midnapore in this year's elections. Nandigram specifically has been a BJP stronghold since the 2021 Assembly polls, largely due to Suvendu Adhikari's influence there.
