Kolkata, Oct 6 (PTI) The voter turnout in the by-elections to Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly seats in West Bengal stood at 19.47 per cent in the first two hours of polling on Tuesday, officials said.
The polling began at 9 am and will continue till 6 pm.
The Nandigram assembly seat in Purba Medinipur district recorded a polling percentage of 20.89 till 9 am, while Rejinagar in Murshidabad registered 18.05 per cent voter turnout during the same period.
The turnout in the initial two hours was encouraging, given that bypolls generally witness lower voter participation than general elections.
The Nandigram seat was the epicentre of former CM Mamata Banerjee’s anti-land acquisition movement that helped pave the way for the TMC’s rise in 2011. It was also where BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari defeated Banerjee in 2021. Adhikari, now chief minister, won Nandigram again in the 2026 assembly election but retained Bhabanipur, necessitating the bypoll.
The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of Chandranath Rath, a former aide of Adhikari. Chandranath was shot dead on May 6, two days after the BJP won the assembly elections. Hasirani’s candidature has added an emotional dimension to the contest.
The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction’s nominee Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her name after meeting Adhikari, following which Banerjee, left without a candidate, backed Congress nominee Milan Pradhan and described the move as an effort to strengthen the INDIA bloc.
Pradhan was arrested in old cases linked to the 2007 Nandigram land-acquisition agitation but later secured interim bail and returned to campaign.
The rival TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee has fielded Mohammad Eteshamul Haque under the envelope symbol and a separate temporary party identity. The CPI has nominated Santigopal Giri.
Rejinagar in Murshidabad presents a different political equation.
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.
The contest includes BJP nominee Sakharav Sarkar, former Murshidabad district president, Mamata-led TMC candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, rival TMC candidate Safiuzzaman Sheikh; Congress nominee Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi and CPI(M)’s Syed Asad Ali. PTI PNT BDC
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