States » EastPosted at: Oct 6 2026 1:41PM


Nandigram, Rejinagar bypolls record brisk voting; Suvendu predicts BJP win by record margin

Kolkata, Oct 6 (UNI) Voting is underway at a brisk pace in Nandigram and Rejinagar on Tuesday, five months after the West Bengal Assembly elections brought about a change of government in the state, with the two bypolls being closely watched for the political signals they may send.

Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, with counting scheduled for October 9.

According to Election Commission figures, turnout after 11 am stood at 43.95 per cent in Nandigram and 38.71 per cent in Rejinagar.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who is a voter in Nandigram, travelled to his polling station in a toto after leaving his convoy behind.

He exchanged pleasantries with people on the way before casting his vote.

After voting, Adhikari said that although turnout was generally lower in by-elections, the voting percentage had risen rapidly as the day progressed.

He expressed confidence that the final turnout would touch 85-90 per cent and claimed that the BJP would win Nandigram by a record margin.

“I had won from this soil by a margin of 82,000 votes in 2016. I believe that record too will be broken this time,” Adhikari said.

Explaining why he had retained Bhabanipur and vacated Nandigram after winning both seats in the Assembly elections, the Chief Minister said it was not legally possible to represent two constituencies simultaneously.

“But I have a firm commitment to the people of Nandigram — everyone has to leave this world in due course, but till my death my name will remain on the voter list of Nandanayakbar (Primary School),” he said.

The Nandigram bypoll was necessitated after Adhikari, who won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the Assembly elections, retained Bhabanipur and vacated Nandigram.

The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath from Nandigram, while Congress has nominated Milan Pradhan.

Pradhan was arrested in connection with old cases linked to the 2007 anti-land acquisition agitation in Nandigram and spent a substantial part of the campaign in custody.

The Calcutta High Court later granted him interim bail, allowing him to return and campaign before polling.

The contest has also drawn candidates from the Left, ISF and the Democratic Trinamool Congress led by Ritabrata Banerjee.

In Rejinagar, voting was marred by a confrontation involving Aam Janata Unnayan Party chief Humayun Kabir, who was detained by police after repeatedly criticising the force during polling.
Kabir, who had been targeting the police since morning while on his way to cast his vote, continued his criticism outside the polling station after voting.

He later went to his party office, where police personnel arrived shortly afterwards. An argument broke out between Kabir and the police.

During the exchange, he was heard telling the officers, “Do not act as brokers.” The confrontation soon turned into a scuffle, following which police personnel pulled Kabir by his clothes, put him into a vehicle, and took him to the police station.

Earlier, Kabir had alleged that police personnel had been deployed outside his residence since morning.

The Election Commission has sought a report of the incident.

Adhikari, referring to the police action against Kabir over alleged violations in Rejinagar, said the law was equal for everyone.

“Even if I am the chief minister, if I go to another booth and violate the rules, the police can detain me too. What Humayun ji has done is extremely harmful to the democratic system,” he said.

The Rejinagar bypoll was necessitated after Kabir, who had won both Rejinagar and Nawada in the Assembly elections, retained Nawada and vacated Rejinagar.

Security has been substantially strengthened in both constituencies.

The Election Commission has deployed 34 companies of central forces in Rejinagar and 37 in Nandigram, taking the total deployment to 71 companies.

Rejinagar has 315 polling stations and 2,57,657 voters, including 1,35,014 men, 1,22,638 women and five third-gender voters.

Nandigram has 323 polling stations and 2,67,157 voters, comprising 1,39,677 men, 1,27,479 women and one third-gender voter.
UNI SAG RSA
Tags: #Nandigram# Rejinagar bypolls record brisk voting; Suvendu predicts BJP win by record margin
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