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Nandigram by-election political developments

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2026-09-23 12:10 UTC → 2026-09-24 02:49 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Political activity in West Bengal has intensified surrounding by-elections in the Nandigram and Rezinnagar constituencies, scheduled for October 6. These elections were triggered by the resignations of incumbents Shubhendu Adhikari and Humayun Kabir. In Nandigram, the electoral process is complicated by internal party divisions and an Election Commission of India (ECI) order prohibiting rival factions from using the ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ name or its ‘twin-flowers-on-grass’ symbol. The Mamata Banerjee-led faction was assigned the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ with a ‘Football Player’ symbol, while the Arup Roy-led faction was assigned the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ with an ‘Envelope’ symbol. Mamata Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court to challenge this decision, describing it as a “black day” for democracy. Following a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the candidate representing the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, withdrew her nomination. In response, Mamata Banerjee announced her faction would support the Congress candidate, Milan Pradhan, to strengthen the ‘INDIA’ bloc. Volatility escalated following the arrest of Milan Pradhan and election in-charge Subhashish Bhattacharya. Authorities stated Pradhan was arrested in connection with four pending non-bailable warrants related to serious charges, including murder, rioting, and abduction, stemming from the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition protests. Pradhan has been in judicial custody since his arrest. The West Bengal Congress has since approached the Calcutta High Court seeking urgent bail for Pradhan, requesting a hearing before Justice Tirthankar Ghosh due to the upcoming October 6 election date. Meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has demanded the cancellation of BJP candidate Hasirani Rath’s nomination, alleging discrepancies in her affidavit regarding her age and educational history. Legal disputes have now reached the Calcutta High Court regarding both major candidates.

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