TMC rebel faction fields minority candidates for Nandigram, Rejinagar bypolls
Synopsis
West Bengal's upcoming Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls now have two rival TMC candidate lists — and the Election Commission has not yet decided which faction owns the party name and symbol. With nominations closing on 16 September and polling on 6 October, the ECI's adjudication could upend the contest at the eleventh hour.
Key Takeaways
The Ritabrata Banerjee -led rebel TMC faction announced Ehtasamul Haque for Nandigram and Shafiuzzaman Sheikh for Rejinagar on 14 September 2026 .
The announcement follows the rival Mamata Banerjee–Abhishek Banerjee faction's separate candidate list declared a day earlier.
The Election Commission of India has yet to decide which TMC faction has the right to the party's name and symbol.
Nomination deadline is 16 September ; polls on 6 October ; results on 9 November .
The Nandigram bypoll arose after CM Suvendu Adhikari vacated the seat, having won Bhabanipur; the Rejinagar seat fell vacant when Humayun Kabir retained Naoda instead.
The contest is multi-cornered, with the Left Front , Congress , RSP , AJUP , and the BJP (expected imminently) also in the field.
The Ritabrata Banerjee-led 'rebel but majority' faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday, 14 September 2026, announced candidates for the upcoming Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls in West Bengal, fielding nominees from the minority community at both seats. The move comes just a day after the rival 'original but minority' faction — led by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee — declared its own candidates for the same two constituencies.
Who the Rebel Faction Has Named
The Ritabrata-led faction has nominated Ehtasamul Haque for the Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district, and Shafiuzzaman Sheikh for Rejinagar Assembly constituency in Murshidabad district. Both nominees belong to the minority community, signalling a deliberate outreach strategy in constituencies where such voters hold significant electoral weight.
The Split That Defines the Contest
The dual announcement lays bare the open fracture within the TMC, formerly the ruling party in West Bengal. Crucially, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has yet to determine which faction holds the legal right to the party's name and symbol — meaning both sets of candidates could go into the nomination process without a settled party identity. 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.
What Triggered the Bypolls
The Nandigram bypoll was necessitated after current Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections. Adhikari notably defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Bhabanipur by a margin of more than 15,000 votes. He chose to retain Bhabanipur, vacating Nandigram. The Rejinagar bypoll arose because former TMC legislator Humayun Kabir, who contested and won from both Naoda and Rejinagar as an Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) candidate, opted to retain Naoda.
A Crowded and Fractured Field
The multi-cornered contest is growing more complex by the day. The CPI(M)-led Left Front and Congress have already declared candidates for both seats. Notably, the Revolutionary Social Party (RSP) — a Left Front constituent — has independently fielded its own candidate at Rejinagar, breaking ranks with the CPI(M) leadership. The Humayun Kabir-led AJUP has also entered Rejinagar, nominating Kabir's son Golam Nabi Azad. The BJP is expected to announce its candidates for both constituencies either on Monday or Tuesday.
What Comes Next
With nominations closing on 16 September and the ECI yet to adjudicate the TMC's internal dispute, both Ritabrata Banerjee's and Mamata Banerjee's factions face the prospect of contesting without a legally settled party symbol. The ECI ruling, whenever it comes, could reshape the candidate arithmetic at the last moment. All eyes are also on the BJP's candidate list, which could further consolidate or fragment the anti-TMC vote across both seats.
Point of View
Which now must adjudicate a party-symbol dispute before nominations close on 16 September. The rebel faction's deliberate choice of minority-community nominees at both seats reveals that both sides are playing identity politics, not ideological differentiation. What is often missed is that Mamata Banerjee's reversal from ruling party to litigant over her own party symbol marks a historic vulnerability — one that the BJP, entering this race from a position of governmental strength under Suvendu Adhikari, is well-positioned to exploit if the TMC vote splits cleanly.
NationPress
14 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are bypolls being held in Nandigram and Rejinagar?
The Nandigram bypoll was triggered when Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the West Bengal Assembly elections, chose to retain Bhabanipur. The Rejinagar bypoll arose when AJUP legislator Humayun Kabir, who won both Naoda and Rejinagar, opted to retain Naoda.
Who are the candidates announced by the Ritabrata Banerjee-led TMC faction?
The rebel faction has named Ehtasamul Haque as its candidate for Nandigram and Shafiuzzaman Sheikh for Rejinagar. Both nominees belong to the minority community.
Which faction does Mamata Banerjee lead in the ongoing TMC split?
Mamata Banerjee leads what the source describes as the 'original but minority' faction of the TMC, alongside her nephew Abhishek Banerjee. This faction announced its own separate candidates for Nandigram and Rejinagar on Sunday, 13 September.
Has the Election Commission decided which TMC faction can use the party's name and symbol?
No. As of 14 September 2026, the Election Commission of India has not yet determined which faction has the legal right to the TMC's name and symbol. Both factions are proceeding with candidate announcements ahead of the 16 September nomination deadline.
What is the schedule for the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls?
The last date for filing nominations is 16 September 2026. Polling will be held on 6 October, and results will be declared on 9 November.
