Political friction has intensified across West Bengal ahead of the upcoming by-elections, driven not by the ruling opposition but by an escalating feud between INDIA bloc partners TMC and Congress. The Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress reportedly attempted to forge a collaborative electoral arrangement with Congress, but the effort fell through after Congress decided to contest the polls independently. Notably, TMC announced its candidates only after Congress had already made its official declarations for the vacant seats.
Claims and Counter-Claims Over Seat Distribution
Reports indicate that TMC reached out to Congress to streamline the electoral contest in the by-elections. The proposed arrangement suggested that Congress would contest the Nandigram seat while Trinamool would field its candidate in Reginagar. However, sources within West Bengal Congress indicated that the state leadership declined the proposal as they aim to rebuild their grassroots base across the state, believing that a premature alliance could hinder this revival process. This disagreement has triggered a fresh wave of political accusations and counter-accusations between the two parties.
Shifting Political Dynamics and Past Stances
This development marks a notable shift for Trinamool, which for years maintained that it was fully capable of defeating the BJP in West Bengal on its own, repeatedly dismissing earlier overtures from Congress for a comprehensive state-level alliance. Senior Congress leader and former state unit chief Pradip Bhattacharya claimed that a representative of the Mamata Banerjee camp approached a senior Congress leader in New Delhi roughly 15 days ago with the proposal for Nandigram and Reginagar.
Bhattacharya stated, "The proposal was that Trinamool Congress would contest from Reginagar and leave the Nandigram seat for Congress." He added that the central leadership of Congress requested time to deliberate and subsequently discussed the matter with state leaders. The state unit concluded that the timing was not right for an alliance, determining that while such partnerships could be considered in the future, an independent path was appropriate for now. West Bengal Congress spokesperson Suman Roy Chowdhury also corroborated that the reconciliation offer originated from the Trinamool camp.
Suman Roy Chowdhury noted that when Trinamool held absolute power, it never extended such an offer during periods when joint resistance against the BJP was viable. He suggested that now, facing isolation and electoral setbacks, the party recognizes the value of Congress. Another Congress leader alleged that Nandigram remains a fiercely contested seat for Trinamool, arguing that offering the constituency away itself reveals how the party views the uphill electoral challenge.
Trinamool Rejection and Fractured Opposition Equation
In contrast, Trinamool strongly dismissed these allegations. When questioned about the rumored proposal, senior party leader Kunal Ghosh flatly denied the claims. Another senior TMC leader declined to comment further, cautioning that any such infighting or public sparring would ultimately benefit only the BJP. The conflicting statements from Congress and Trinamool have further complicated the already fractured opposition landscape in West Bengal. Although TMC, Congress, and Left parties remain national allies under the INDIA umbrella, they continue to contest against each other in state-level electoral battles.
Organizational Strain and Candidate Lineup
Pradip Bhattacharya questioned why Trinamool, having long claimed it could independently counter the BJP, suddenly requires Congress. He attributed the shift in stance to Trinamool's internal organizational troubles and recent setbacks, suggesting that defeat at the hands of the BJP and the internal fragmentation of TMC into three separate factions have made the party realize the enduring importance of Congress in West Bengal.
Among the major opposition groups, Congress acted first by announcing its candidates on September 11, naming Milon Pradhan for Nandigram and Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi for Reginagar. Left parties subsequently declared their nominees, while the Banerjee-led Trinamool later named Sanchita Pradhan Dey for Nandigram. Additionally, a breakaway faction led by Rithabrata Banerjee announced its intention to join the electoral fray. The BJP finalized its candidate by naming Hasirani Rath. The by-election was necessitated after BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari contested and won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur during the 2026 assembly elections, subsequently retaining Bhabanipur and resigning from Nandigram.
