Mamata-led TMC faction fields candidates for Nandigram, Rejinagar bypolls and Nagaon seat
Synopsis
With the Election Commission yet to rule on which TMC faction owns the party's name and symbol, Mamata Banerjee's group has moved ahead anyway — naming candidates for Nandigram, Rejinagar and Nagaon ahead of the 16 September nomination deadline. The October 6 bypolls will be a live test of which TMC commands the ground even before the legal battle is settled.
Key Takeaways
The Mamata Banerjee -led 'original but minority' TMC faction announced bypoll candidates on 13 September 2026 .
Sanchita Pradhan Dey named for Nandigram (East Midnapore) and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury for Rejinagar (Murshidabad).
Abdul Salam declared candidate for the Nagaon Parliamentary Constituency in Assam.
Last date for nominations is 16 September ; polling on 6 October ; results on 9 November .
The ECI is yet to decide which TMC faction — Mamata's or Ritabrata Banerjee's 'rebel majority' group — has rights over the party's name and symbol.
BJP , Left Front, Congress, and AJUP are also fielding or expected to field candidates in these constituencies.
The Mamata Banerjee-led 'original but minority' faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday, 13 September 2026, announced its candidates for the upcoming by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies in West Bengal, as well as the Nagaon Parliamentary Constituency in Assam. The announcement came even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has yet to rule on which faction — Banerjee's or the rival 'rebel but majority' group led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee — holds the right over the party's name and symbol.
Candidates Named for Bengal Bypolls
Sanchita Pradhan Dey has been declared the Mamata faction's candidate from the Nandigram Assembly Constituency in East Midnapore district, while Rabiul Alam Chowdhury has been named for the Rejinagar Assembly Constituency in Murshidabad district. The last date for filing nominations for both seats is 16 September. Polling is scheduled for 6 October, with results to be declared on 9 November.
Why These Seats Fell Vacant
The Nandigram bypoll was necessitated after current West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was elected from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur Assembly constituencies in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections. Adhikari chose to retain Bhabanipur — a seat where he defeated his predecessor, former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, by a margin of more than 15,000 votes — thereby vacating Nandigram. Meanwhile, the Rejinagar seat opened up after former TMC legislator Humayun Kabir, who contested and won from both Naoda and Rejinagar as an Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) candidate, decided to retain Naoda. His son Golam Nabi Azad is the AJUP candidate for the Rejinagar bypoll.
Assam Entry: Nagaon Parliamentary Seat
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction also announced Abdul Salam as its candidate for the bypoll at Nagaon Parliamentary Constituency in Assam, signalling its intent to extend its electoral footprint beyond West Bengal.
Multi-Corner Contest Taking Shape
The field in West Bengal is already crowded. The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Indian National Congress (Congress) have announced candidates for both Nandigram and Rejinagar. The AJUP has also fielded a candidate from Rejinagar. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to announce its nominees shortly. This contest, notably, unfolds while a parallel political-legal battle over the TMC's name and symbol remains unresolved before the ECI — making candidate branding itself a contested terrain.
With nominations closing on 16 September, the coming days will be crucial in determining the full contest lineup and the ECI's eventual ruling on party identity — a decision that could materially affect both factions' electoral prospects on 6 October.
Point of View
Each claiming legitimacy — a situation the ECI has had to navigate before with the AIADMK and the NCP, rarely with clean outcomes. The Nandigram seat carries enormous symbolic weight given that Suvendu Adhikari unseated Mamata Banerjee there; a strong showing for her faction there would reframe the narrative of that defeat. Whether organisational muscle or legal recognition proves more decisive by 6 October remains the real election within the election.
NationPress
14 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are bypolls being held in Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal?
The Nandigram bypoll was triggered because Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari won from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the West Bengal Assembly elections and chose to retain Bhabanipur. The Rejinagar seat fell vacant after AJUP legislator Humayun Kabir, who won from both Naoda and Rejinagar, opted to retain Naoda.
Who are the Mamata Banerjee faction's candidates for the Bengal bypolls?
The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction has named Sanchita Pradhan Dey as its candidate from Nandigram (East Midnapore) and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury from Rejinagar (Murshidabad). Both were announced on 13 September 2026.
What is the TMC party symbol dispute about?
The Trinamool Congress is split into two factions: the 'original but minority' group led by Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, and a 'rebel but majority' faction led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. The Election Commission of India has not yet determined which faction holds the legal right to the party's name and electoral symbol.
When is polling scheduled and when will results be declared?
Polling for the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls, as well as the Nagaon Parliamentary bypoll, is scheduled for 6 October 2026. Results will be declared on 9 November 2026. The last date for filing nominations is 16 September 2026.
Who else is contesting the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls?
The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Indian National Congress have announced candidates for both Nandigram and Rejinagar. The Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), led by Humayun Kabir, has also fielded a candidate in Rejinagar — Kabir's son Golam Nabi Azad. The BJP is expected to announce its candidates shortly.
