Political activity has intensified in West Bengal ahead of the Assembly by-elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its candidates for the Nandigram and Rejinagar seats. The party has fielded Hasirani Rath from Nandigram. Rath is the mother of Chandranath Rath, the late personal assistant (PA) of Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari. Chandranath Rath was shot dead shortly after the Assembly election results were announced in May. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the case.
The BJP has nominated Shashwar Sarkar from the Rejinagar Assembly seat. Sarkar has served as the party's state secretary and former district president of Murshidabad. With the nominations, the party has chosen candidates with organisational and local political backgrounds for both constituencies.
Hasirani Rath's candidature from Nandigram is being closely watched because her family has had a longstanding association with Shubhendu Adhikari, while the investigation into the killing of her son Chandranath Rath remains ongoing.
Nandigram has been an important constituency in West Bengal politics. In the 2026 Assembly election, Shubhendu Adhikari won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur. Under the rules, he had to vacate one of the two seats and subsequently resigned from the Nandigram Assembly seat, creating the vacancy that led to the by-election.
The Rejinagar seat also fell vacant after MLA Humayun Kabir won from two seats and had to vacate one of them. Voting for both seats is scheduled for October 6, while the results will be declared on October 9.
Following the BJP's decision to nominate Hasirani Rath, the Nandigram contest has gained an additional political dimension. Chandranath Rath was a close associate of Shubhendu Adhikari and had served as his personal assistant for a long period. He was shot dead two days after the election results.
The CBI is currently investigating the killing. The final conclusion in the case will emerge only after the investigation and judicial process are completed.
After her candidature was announced, Hasirani Rath expressed her readiness to contest the election. According to the report, she also visited local temples and offered prayers before stating that she would work for the people of Nandigram. She praised the work carried out by Shubhendu Adhikari in the constituency and expressed confidence about contesting the election with the party's support.
Nandigram's political significance extends beyond its status as an Assembly constituency. The area has long been associated with major political contests in West Bengal, and Shubhendu Adhikari's political base has also been linked to Nandigram.
By fielding a candidate from the family of his close associate, the BJP has indicated an attempt to connect with local sentiment while also drawing on Shubhendu Adhikari's influence in the electoral contest.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), meanwhile, has nominated Sanchita Pradhan Dey from Nandigram and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury from Rejinagar. There had also been speculation that Mamata Banerjee could contest from Nandigram, but those discussions ended after the party announced its candidate.
The contest is not limited to the BJP and TMC. A rebel faction within the TMC has also fielded candidates on both seats. The rebel faction has nominated Mohammad Eteshamul Haque from Nandigram and Safiuzzaman Sheikh from Rejinagar.
The presence of candidates from different political parties and factions could make the contests more multi-cornered. In Nandigram, the distribution of votes among the different candidates could also affect the election result.
The Nandigram seat is important for the BJP as the party seeks to maintain its position in the constituency. Following Shubhendu Adhikari becoming Chief Minister, Nandigram's political significance has increased further. The BJP's performance in the by-election to the seat vacated by him will also be viewed in relation to his influence and the strength of the party organisation.
Hasirani Rath's candidature has added a personal and family dimension to the contest. For the TMC, the challenge is to contest the BJP's influence in the constituency. The party has fielded local candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey.
In the coming days, both parties are expected to intensify their campaign activities. Development, local issues, law and order, and political violence could form part of the electoral debate as the parties seek support from Nandigram voters.
The contest in Rejinagar is also significant. The BJP has fielded Shashwar Sarkar, who has held important organisational responsibilities in the party. The TMC has nominated Rabiul Alam Chowdhury.
The presence of the rebel faction could also affect the electoral equation in the constituency. Given the political circumstances in the Murshidabad region, the Rejinagar contest is also expected to draw attention.
The candidate picture for the Nandigram by-election has now become clearer. Hasirani Rath's candidature has received particular attention. The CBI investigation into the killing of her son Chandranath Rath remains ongoing, and the extent to which the issue influences the electoral discourse will become clearer during the campaign.
According to the Election Commission's schedule, voting will take place on October 6 and the results will be announced after counting on October 9. The campaign is expected to intensify after the nomination process, with senior leaders of both major parties potentially campaigning in support of their candidates.
Shubhendu Adhikari's role in Nandigram is also expected to remain important because of his close political association with the constituency.
The BJP faces the challenge of maintaining its influence in Nandigram, while the TMC will seek to restore its political influence in the constituency. The internal rebellion within the TMC and the presence of separate candidates could further complicate the contest.
With the BJP's candidate list now announced, electoral activity has intensified in both Nandigram and Rejinagar. The BJP has made its electoral position clear by naming Hasirani Rath from Nandigram and Shashwar Sarkar from Rejinagar. Attention will now turn to the nomination process, campaign and voter response on polling day. In particular, the decision to nominate the mother of Shubhendu Adhikari's late PA from Nandigram has made the constituency one of the most closely watched seats in the by-election.
