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Nandigram and Rejinagar By-polls: BJP Frames Minority Vote as Test
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By-polls Declared Test for Minority Voters
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the upcoming Assembly by-polls in Nandigram and Rejinagar on October 6 will serve as a “test” for minority voters to decide whether to support the state government. The BJP has nominated Hasirani Rath—the mother of the chief minister’s slain aide Chandranath Rath—for Nandigram and Sakharav Sarkar for the Muslim-majority seat of Rejinagar.
Background & Context
The two contests were triggered after Adhikari vacated Nandigram, having won it in the 2026 Assembly election with a 9,665-vote margin over the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate, and after Aam Janata Unnyan Party (AJUP) leader Humayun Kabir relinquished Rejinagar, a constituency he had won by 50,000 votes. In 2021, Adhikari defeated former chief minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram by 1,956 votes. Nandigram’s electorate includes roughly 25 % Muslim voters, a demographic that has historically not backed BJP candidates.
Data & Statistics
| Constituency | Minority Share | Recent Winning Margin (2026) | Notable Candidate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nandigram | ~25 % Muslim | 9,665 votes (over TMC) | Hasirani Rath (BJP) |
| Rejinagar | Muslim-majority | — (seat vacant) | Sakharav Sarkar (BJP) |
The BJP’s strategy emphasizes an emotive appeal by fielding Hasirani Rath, whose son Chandranath Rath was shot dead on May 6 in Madhyamgram, two days after the party assumed power in the state.
Official Statements & Responses
- He emphasized the BJP’s two-thirds majority in the recent state election as evidence of its inclusive stance.
- The BJP also highlighted development initiatives launched since the party took office on May 9, pledging to continue work outlined in its “Sankalp Patra” manifesto for the next 56 months.
Why It Matters
The by-polls are the first major electoral test for the BJP’s governance in West Bengal since assuming power in May 2024. By positioning minority voters as the decisive factor, the party seeks to consolidate its mandate and counter perceptions of communal polarization. The outcome will signal whether the BJP’s development narrative and promises of support for BJP workers—many of whom claim to have faced “false criminal cases”—resonate with minority communities.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are opposed to any division of voters on the grounds of being a minority or majority. We do not consider anyone a minority and anyone a majority; we consider every resident of West Bengal as our own. After getting a two-thirds majority in the elections, we are for everyone,” — Samik Bhattacharya, state BJP president
- “Chandra was brutally murdered. I feel that his biggest crime was that he had assisted the then leader of the opposition,” — Suvendu Adhikari, west bengal chief
- “It is my responsibility to fulfil all the promises I made to the people of the constituency.” — The Nandigram, the chief minister
What’s Next
The by-polls in Nandigram and Rejinagar are scheduled for October 6. Results will determine whether the BJP can translate its state-wide majority into victories in constituencies with significant minority populations, and will shape the political calculus for both the BJP and opposition parties ahead of the next state election cycle.