West Bengal Nandigram Bypoll: TMC-Congress Claims Add New Political Twist
West Bengal, September 16, 2026: The upcoming Nandigram Assembly bypoll has emerged as a major focus of West Bengal politics, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress exchanging claims over a reported proposal concerning the constituency.
A senior Congress leader in West Bengal claimed that the TMC had approached the central Congress leadership with an offer to give up the Nandigram seat for the upcoming bypoll. The TMC, however, denied that it had made any such proposal.
The Nandigram constituency is politically significant in West Bengal and has remained closely associated with major political contests in the state. The upcoming bypoll is scheduled for October 6, making candidate selection and campaign preparations an important focus for the state's political parties.
The disagreement over the alleged proposal has added another dimension to the political discussion ahead of the bypoll. While the Congress leader's claim has been reported, the TMC's denial means that there is no confirmed agreement between the two parties over the constituency.
The Election Commission-related process for the bypoll is also underway, with nominations closing on September 16. Reports indicate that the Commission had not yet resolved a dispute concerning the official TMC election symbol as the nomination deadline approached.
The developments have brought increased attention to the role of the Election Commission in the electoral process. The symbol issue is separate from the claims concerning Nandigram seat-sharing, but both developments are being followed closely as candidates complete the nomination process.
The constituency is also attracting attention from the BJP. West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has publicly spoken about the party's campaign and predicted a large victory for its candidate, Hasirani Rath. Such statements represent the position of the BJP and are part of the broader campaign rhetoric surrounding the bypoll.
The competing claims have intensified the Political War (opens in a new tab) among parties preparing for the bypoll. Each party is expected to use campaign meetings, public speech programmes and organisational activities to communicate its position to voters.
