The political contest for the upcoming Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls in West Bengal has intensified ahead of polling on October 6, with developments involving candidate withdrawals, criminal cases, court proceedings and allegations of police pressure.
The latest development came in the Nandigram contest, where the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday asked the West Bengal government to ensure that Congress candidate Milan Pradhan is able to contest the election properly, provided he obtains bail in the cases in which he has been arrested.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypoll campaign enters a contentious phase.
Location: Nandigram and Rejinagar, West Bengal.
Authority/Organisation: Election Commission of India and West Bengal political parties.
Action Taken: Court proceedings involving Milan Pradhan; candidate changes and campaign developments continue in both constituencies.
Impact: The developments have altered campaign arrangements ahead of October 6 polling.
Pradhan was arrested on September 18 in connection with pending cases dating back to the 2007 Nandigram land-acquisition agitation. He was subsequently sent to judicial custody in multiple proceedings. One of the latest custody orders extends until October 5, just one day before polling.
The court proceedings followed Pradhan's plea seeking protection in several cases. During the hearing, the West Bengal government informed the court that five of the cases in which Pradhan had sought protection had already been withdrawn, while it said he was not an accused in another case. The state also said the arrests were connected to pending warrants.
The timing of Pradhan's arrest has become a political issue because it came shortly after Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee announced support for his candidature. However, allegations that the arrests were politically motivated have been made by opposition leaders and their representatives; the state has disputed the broader political interpretation of the developments.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The two bypolls are among the early electoral contests in West Bengal following the 2026 Assembly election. Candidate changes, court proceedings and campaign-related disputes have made the constituencies important political flashpoints ahead of polling.
The Nandigram contest had already changed significantly after Sanchita Pradhan Dey, who had been named as the candidate of the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction, withdrew from the race. Following her withdrawal, Mamata Banerjee announced support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan.
The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath from Nandigram. The constituency became vacant after Suvendu Adhikari resigned the seat and retained Bhabanipur following the 2026 Assembly election.
Rejinagar has also seen political uncertainty. Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, the TMC candidate, had initially indicated that he would withdraw from the contest but later reversed the decision following intervention by Mamata Banerjee and remained in the race.
Meanwhile, Humayun Kabir, chief of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), has said he would stay away from ground campaigning, alleging police harassment of his party workers. His son and party candidate Golam Nabi Azad also indicated that he would stay away from physical campaigning and rely on other forms of outreach. These are allegations made by Kabir and have not been independently established as political targeting.
The BJP has rejected allegations that opposition candidates and workers are being deliberately targeted, while opposition parties have raised concerns about the timing of arrests and police action.
The Election Commission has scheduled polling for October 6, with counting of votes on October 9. The campaign period is scheduled to end on October 4.
