Bypolls In 3 States And An UT: Assam, Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Puducherry Gear Up For 5 Key Contests

Voters in three states and one Union Territory will cast their ballots tomorrow in a round of by-elections covering one Lok Sabha and four Assembly constituencies, with West Bengal’s Nandigram and Rejinagar carrying significance well beyond the two seats themselves.

The bypolls will be held in Assam’s Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, Tamil Nadu’s Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, West Bengal’s Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies, and Puducherry’s Thattanchavady Assembly constituency. Counting is scheduled for October 9.

In Bengal, the contests come at a crucial political juncture. The BJP is facing its first electoral test since ending the TMC’s 15-year rule and forming the government in May. While the bypolls cannot be considered a referendum on a government that has been in office for only a few months, they could offer an early indication of voter response to the political transition.

The results could also provide clues about the emerging opposition space. With the TMC divided and Congress and the Left attempting to rebuild, the contests may indicate which opposition force can position itself as the BJP’s principal challenger.

Nandigram carries particular political symbolism. It was at the centre of Mamata Banerjee’s anti-land acquisition movement that helped the TMC build momentum to end the Left Front’s 34-year rule in 2011. It later became the seat where BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari defeated Banerjee in 2021.

Adhikari, now chief minister, won Nandigram again in the 2026 Assembly election but retained Bhabanipur, creating the vacancy.

The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of Chandranath Rath, a former Adhikari aide who was shot dead on May 6, two days after the BJP won the Assembly election. Her candidature has added an emotional dimension to the contest.

The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction initially nominated Sanchita Pradhan Dey, but she withdrew after meeting Adhikari. Banerjee subsequently backed Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, describing the move as an effort to strengthen the INDIA bloc. Pradhan, who was arrested in old cases linked to the 2007 Nandigram land agitation, later secured interim bail and returned to campaign.

The rival TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee has fielded Mohammad Eteshamul Haque, while the CPI has nominated Santigopal Giri. Nandigram is therefore also a test of whether tactical cooperation between the Mamata faction and Congress can translate into votes.

Rejinagar presents a more fragmented contest. The seat fell vacant after Humayun Kabir, who won both Rejinagar and Nowda in the 2026 Assembly election, retained Nowda. His Aam Janata Unnayan Party has fielded his son Golam Nabi Azad. Kabir had won Rejinagar by nearly 59,000 votes.

The BJP has nominated Sakharav Sarkar, while the Mamata-led TMC faction has fielded Rabiul Alam Chowdhury and the rival faction Safiuzzaman Sheikh. Congress has nominated Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi and CPI(M) has fielded Syed Asad Ali.

The TMC faction also faced uncertainty after Chowdhury initially announced his withdrawal, citing pressure on workers and difficulties campaigning under a new identity, before reversing the decision following discussions with Banerjee.

Rejinagar is particularly significant for the BJP because of its substantial minority electorate. The party has sought to broaden its support base there while emphasising development as a campaign theme.

For Congress, the two seats offer contrasting approaches — cooperation with the Mamata faction in Nandigram and an independent contest in Rejinagar. The results could influence the wider debate over whether Congress should rebuild independently or pursue tactical understandings with other anti-BJP forces.

The contests come amid a dramatic transformation in Bengal politics. The TMC emerged after Banerjee broke away from Congress in 1998 and later used the Nandigram and Singur movements to end Left rule. Fifteen years later, the BJP has replaced the TMC in government, while the TMC itself has split.

Tomorrow’s polling will therefore be watched for three broad signals: whether the BJP’s electoral momentum has continued after taking power, which opposition party can occupy the space against it, and whether the TMC’s divided political legacy can still translate into votes.