BJP fields slain Suvendu aide's mother for Nandigram bypoll on Oct 6
Synopsis
The BJP is fielding Hasirani Rath — mother of Suvendu Adhikari's slain personal assistant — as its Nandigram bypoll candidate, a move that blends grief with electoral strategy. With polling on 6 October, Nandigram is widely seen as a BJP hold, but Rejinagar shapes up as a genuine test in a demographically complex Murshidabad seat.
Key Takeaways
The BJP announced Hasirani Rath as its candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll on 15 September .
Hasirani Rath is the mother of Chandranath Rath , personal assistant of CM Suvendu Adhikari , who was shot dead on 6 May — two days after the West Bengal election results.
Sakharav Sarkar is the BJP's candidate for the Rejinagar bypoll in Murshidabad .
Nomination deadline is 16 September ; polling on 6 October ; results on 9 October .
Political observers expect BJP to retain Nandigram but flag Rejinagar as a tough, multi-cornered contest.
The Rejinagar result could indicate where West Bengal's minority votes are heading ahead of future elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, 15 September announced its candidates for the upcoming bypolls to two West Bengal Assembly constituencies — Nandigram in East Midnapore district and Rejinagar in Murshidabad district — with both seats set to go to the polls on 6 October, and results expected on 9 October.
A Symbolic Choice in Nandigram
For Nandigram, the BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, the mother of the late Chandranath Rath — the personal assistant of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari who was shot dead at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas on the evening of 6 May this year. The killing took place just two days after the West Bengal Assembly election results were declared, results that delivered a landslide mandate for the BJP. By nominating Hasirani Rath, the party is making a pointed political statement, turning a personal tragedy into an electoral symbol.
According to party sources, Hasirani Rath will offer prayers at the Janakinath temple in Nandigram before filing her nomination. A procession of approximately 20,000 workers and supporters is expected to accompany her to the District Magistrate's office at Haldia, where she will formally submit her papers. Chief Minister Adhikari is also expected to be present. The last date for filing nominations is 16 September.
Rejinagar: A Tougher Battlefield
The BJP's candidate for Rejinagar is Sakharav Sarkar. The seat became vacant after former Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Humayun Kabir contested as an Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) candidate and won from both Naoda and Rejinagar in Murshidabad, retaining Naoda and triggering the Rejinagar bypoll. Kabir has reportedly fielded his son Gholam Nabi Azad for the Rejinagar seat.
Political observers note that Rejinagar's demographic composition makes it a difficult constituency for the BJP. 'Trinamool Congress, which is now divided into three factions, also does not seem to be having much prospects from Rejinagar this time. Rather, the CPI(M) and Congress can view the opportunity for increasing their tally in the West Bengal Assembly by one seat,' said a Kolkata-based political analyst. The Rejinagar contest, observers suggest, could offer an early indicator of where minority votes in West Bengal may shift ahead of future elections.
Why Nandigram Matters to the BJP
Nandigram became a BJP stronghold following the 2021 Assembly elections, when Suvendu Adhikari was elected from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in South Kolkata. Adhikari notably defeated his predecessor and former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by a margin of over 15,000 votes. He retained Bhabanipur, making the Nandigram seat vacant and necessitating this bypoll. Given Adhikari's personal association with the constituency, political observers largely consider Nandigram a safe seat for the BJP.
What to Watch
With nominations closing on 16 September and polling on 6 October, all eyes will be on whether the BJP can convert emotional capital in Nandigram into votes, while the Rejinagar contest shapes up as a genuine multi-cornered battle that could signal shifting political loyalties in West Bengal's Murshidabad region.
Point of View
But the optics matter at the state level, where the BJP is still consolidating its post-2021 position. The more instructive contest is Rejinagar: a fractured Trinamool, an active Left-Congress combine, and a demographic composition that historically resists the BJP creates a genuine test of whether the party can expand beyond its strongholds. How the minority vote distributes in Rejinagar will be watched closely as an early signal before the next Assembly cycle.
NationPress
15 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hasirani Rath and why has BJP fielded her for Nandigram?
Hasirani Rath is the mother of Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who was shot dead on 6 May — two days after the West Bengal Assembly election results. By fielding her, the BJP is framing the bypoll around political violence and building an emotional connect with Nandigram voters who have closely followed Adhikari's political journey.
When is the Nandigram bypoll and when will results be declared?
The Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls are scheduled for 6 October, with results to be declared on 9 October. The last date for filing nominations is 16 September.
Why did the Nandigram seat fall vacant?
Suvendu Adhikari was elected from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. He chose to retain Bhabanipur — where he defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by over 15,000 votes — making Nandigram vacant and necessitating a bypoll.
Why is Rejinagar considered a tougher seat for the BJP?
Political observers say Rejinagar's demographic composition makes it difficult terrain for the BJP. A divided Trinamool Congress, a competitive Left-Congress combine, and the local influence of former TMC legislator Humayun Kabir's AJUP network create a multi-sided contest. The seat is also seen as a potential indicator of where minority votes in West Bengal may shift in future elections.
Who is contesting from Rejinagar in the bypoll?
The BJP has fielded Sakharav Sarkar for Rejinagar. Former Trinamool Congress legislator Humayun Kabir, who won the seat on an AJUP ticket but retained his Naoda constituency, has reportedly put forward his son Gholam Nabi Azad as the AJUP candidate for the bypoll.
