Nandigram Bypoll: TMC's Plan Thwarted, Congress Candidate Arrested

Nandigram Bypoll: TMC's Plan Thwarted, Congress Candidate Arrested

The political temperature is soaring for the upcoming by-election in West Bengal's keenly watched Nandigram Assembly seat. As the deadline for nomination withdrawal, September 19, 2026, approaches, political equations are beginning to shift.

Significantly, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has faced a major setback with its allied Congress candidate, Milan Pradhan, being arrested by the state police in connection with a murder case. This development comes after Mamata Banerjee had announced support for the Congress candidate in Nandigram.

Initially, Sanchita Pradhan was the TMC candidate, but she later withdrew her nomination. The subsequent announcement of support for Congress's Milan Pradhan has now been thrown into uncertainty by his arrest. This situation presents a critical juncture for the TMC's electoral strategy.

Election Schedule and Key Contenders

The polling for the Nandigram Assembly by-election is scheduled for October 6, 2026, with the counting of votes set for October 9. The election process will be completed by October 11.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Hasirani Rath from this seat, who is the mother of Suvendu Adhikari's late personal assistant, Chandranath Rath. The BJP's election in-charge, MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, has set a target of securing over 1,10,000 votes.

Background and Previous Electoral Math

The Nandigram seat became vacant when the incumbent MLA, Suvendu Adhikari, won both the Nandigram and Bhawanipore seats in the 2026 Assembly elections. He chose to retain the Bhawanipore seat, necessitating the by-election in Nandigram.

In the previous election, Suvendu Adhikari secured 1,27,301 votes (50.56%) on a BJP ticket, while TMC's Pavitra Kar received 1,17,636 votes (46.72%). This result indicates a close contest in the Nandigram seat.

The TMC candidate Sanchita Pradhan's withdrawal and the subsequent decision to support the Congress was a significant strategic shift for the party. However, the arrest of the Congress candidate has cast a shadow of doubt over this entire plan. It remains to be seen how this development will impact voters and the election results.