Kolkata: The counting of votes for the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly by-elections commenced Friday morning, marking the first significant electoral assessment for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since its ascent to power in West Bengal earlier this year.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the counting process began at 8 a.m. in designated centres across both constituencies. Officials initiated the tallying with postal ballots and Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballots before proceeding to count votes cast via Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The counting for both seats is being conducted in two separate halls, with the process expected to conclude over 15 rounds. Dedicated halls have been allocated for the tabulation of postal ballots and ETPB votes.
The outcomes of these by-elections, while not expected to impact the current government’s stability given the BJP’s substantial majority in the state assembly, are being closely observed. The BJP holds 207 out of the total 294 seats in the state legislative assembly.
Both Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies recorded a high voter turnout on Tuesday, with approximately 80 per cent of eligible voters participating. Nandigram saw a polling percentage of 80.89%, closely followed by Rejinagar at 80.08%. The Election Commission had described the polling as largely peaceful.
However, opposition parties lodged complaints alleging instances of voter intimidation, irregularities at polling booths, and the removal of their authorized agents from polling stations. They subsequently called for fresh elections to be held. The BJP, in turn, refuted these allegations, asserting that the polling was conducted peacefully.
A significant incident during the polling day involved the arrest of Humayun Kabir, chief of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), following a confrontation with police in Rejinagar. This by-election was necessitated after Kabir vacated the seat, choosing to retain the Nowda constituency.
The results are particularly noteworthy for gauging the BJP’s electoral performance following its assumption of power, ending the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress. The political landscape, marked by a split within the TMC and the presence of various political formations, adds another layer of interest to the opposition space’s evolving shape.
In Nandigram, the constituency’s political significance is amplified by the fact that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had previously defeated TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee in 2021. Adhikari subsequently won the seat again in the 2026 Assembly polls before retaining Bhabanipur, which then necessitated the current by-election.
The BJP has nominated Hasirani Rath for the Nandigram seat. The Congress candidate, Milan Pradhan, is reportedly backed by the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction, following the withdrawal of the TMC’s official candidate. A rival TMC faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, is also contesting the seat.
In Rejinagar, the electoral contest features a multi-cornered battle. The BJP’s candidate is Sakharav Sarkar. The Mamata-led TMC has fielded Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, while a rival TMC faction has nominated Safiuzzaman Sheikh. The Congress has put forward Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi, and the CPI(M) candidate is Syed Asad Ali. Additionally, AJUP candidate Golam Nabi Azad, son of party chief Humayun Kabir, is also in contention.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
