Two by-elections at Nandigram and Rejinagar are scheduled to be held on October 6. Some home truths have emerged from both the BJP and Trinamool Congress camps with less than a month to go before the twin by-polls.
The by-polls have been necessitated after chief minister Subhendu Adhikari stepped down from Nandigram while AJUP leader Humayun Kabir vacated Rejinagar seat. Adhikari has defeated Mamata Banerjee at Bhabanipur constituency while Kabir won from Nowdah.
Numbers vs. Crowds: The Trinamool Factional Duel
Dissident Trinamool faction having more than 60 MLAs clearly have the numbers. But attendance at rallies have left one with little doubt that public support to the Trinamool Congress camp owing allegiance to Mamata Banerjee faction has greater outreach than its dissident group led by Uluberia Purba legislator Ritabrata Banerjee.
Several public rallies have proven the fact the faction following the Trinamool founder Mamata Banerjee have greater following than the dissidents. The attendance of the followers of the Ritabrata camp lags behind.
Both the camps have fielded their candidates. While Rabiul Alam Choudhary is the nominee for Rejinagar of the Trinamool faction loyal to Mamata Banerjee while Sanchita De is its candidate from Nandigram.
Choudhury and De are not newcomers in the erstwhile ruling party. In fact, Choudhury had once been the legislator from Rejinagar.
But he was denied nomination in 2026 Assembly polls. But he did not switch loyalty.
As for De, a panchayat functionary from Nandigram was sidelined in the party after she lost her teaching job following a Calcutta High Court order. But she got back her job after moving Supreme Court.
Neither Choudhury nor De had either sulked or left the party which had once shot them into prominence. It may be noted that both got their nomination when de facto number two of their faction Abhishek Banerjee is abroad for medical treatment.
It can be inferred that he had nothing to do with earmarking the duo. Post split in the Trinamool Congress several allegations of highhandedness and bias have been raised against him.
Several MLAs and MPs have alleged they parted company with Mamata Banerjee owing to her nephew’s misbehaviour. Moreover, she as chief minister did not step in to intervene and ensure that the old faithful got honour and recognition they deserve.
After all, these men and women had been with her from the point of time when Mamata Banerjee broke away from Congress in the late ’90s. Now she has again turned to the old faithful.
The Battle for Second Place
In doing so, Mamata Banerjee is trying to return to her political roots. It is upto Choudhury and De to regain the lost ground for their party and its leader.
Given the political eco system in the state, the chances of their victory is not too bright. But the election results will be a pointer to the popularity and public acceptance of Trinamool Congress faction loyal to the former chief minister.
October 6 will witness two electoral battles in which the losers’ result will convey a significant political message. Whoever emerges in the second place will be anointed the actual Opposition camp in the state even as the saffron camp is upbeat about bagging both the constituencies.
In the event Choudhury and De emerge as the runners up, this honour will go to the faction loyal to Mamata Banerjee. It will not matter even if the Ritabrata faction has more MLAs.
Time was when minority community voters of Nandigram voted almost one and all for Adhikari. But then he was not in BJP.
On the other hand, Trinamool organisation in Nandigram is in a shambles. Two successive BJP victories in 2021 and 2026 elections have ensured it.
But Adhikari wants an overwhelming show of support for the BJP nominee Hashirani Rath. She happens to be the mother of Adhikari’s aide, Chandranath Rath who has been assassinated.
As for Rejinagar, 27 per cent of voters were cast for the BJP candidate. Kabir bagged the greater portion of minority support securing 52 per cent votes and expects his son, the AJUP nominee to continue this winning streak.
The Discordant Note in Adhikari’s Minority Pitch
It is against this backdrop, chief minister Adhikari’s call for support to minority community voters of both constituencies assumes significance. Calling for minority voters support, he said the by polls presented them with an “opportunity” to be with the government.
Once he has assumed the charge of chief minister of the state, the incumbent is supposed to involve the entire populace in the development process. If he goes by this time honoured principle of democracy, Adhikari ought to be no exception.
His offering an “opportunity” to be with the government sounds a discordant note. Indeed it leaves a bad taste in the mouth as not availing of this “opportunity” comes an invisible threat of government schemes bypassing those who let go of the chance to be with the ruling dispensation in the state.
