A fast-moving political crisis unfolded across West Bengal as the Trinamool Congress faction led by Mamata Banerjee suffered back-to-back electoral jolts in less than twenty-four hours. The party saw both of its chosen candidates for the crucial assembly by-elections walk away from the contest. The sequence of withdrawals began in the politically charged seat of Nandigram, where nominated candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey retracted her papers. Barely a day later, former lawmaker Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, fielded from the Rejinagar assembly constituency in Murshidabad district, also decided to pull out of the race. The dual departures have triggered intense political discussion and upended campaign strategies across the state.
These developments come at a precarious juncture for the organisation, which is embroiled in an internal tug-of-war over its name and official election symbol. Following an interim directive issued by the Election Commission, both competing factions are barred from using the traditional party name and registered symbol in the upcoming by-polls. Facing the challenging task of contesting on an unfamiliar platform with an alternative name and a fresh symbol, the Mamata Banerjee camp was already navigating steep hurdles on the ground before its candidates decided to step aside.
Sanchita Pradhan Dey and the Developments in Nandigram
Fielded as the candidate for Nandigram, Sanchita Pradhan Dey is a resident of Boyal-2 Gram Panchayat in the Purba Medinipur district. She is a primary school teacher by profession, having taught at local institutions such as Boyal Primary School and North Boyal Primary School. Her entry into public life was not sudden, as she had been affiliated with the Trinamool Congress since 2008, gradually building her profile through grass-roots panchayat work over the course of more than fifteen years.
Her electoral career began to gain traction in 2013 when she was elected to the Nandigram Panchayat Samiti on a Trinamool Congress ticket. During that term, she was entrusted with overseeing the Women and Child Welfare department. Her political standing was further cemented in 2018 when she secured re-election to the Panchayat Samiti and took charge as the Karmadhyaksha of the education department. A setback came during the 2023 rural body elections when the party denied her a ticket, yet she continued to maintain her presence in local public affairs.
In September 2026, the faction led by Mamata Banerjee nominated Sanchita Pradhan Dey for the Nandigram by-election, a constituency of immense symbolic weight where Mamata Banerjee had contested against Suvendu Adhikari in 2021, resulting in a victory for Adhikari. After filing her papers, Sanchita met Suvendu Adhikari on 18 September and officially withdrew her nomination on the same date. Following her exit, Mamata Banerjee announced support for Congress nominee Milan Pradhan. However, the scenario grew even more complicated when Milan Pradhan was arrested in connection with an older legal case shortly after receiving this endorsement.
Rabiul Alam Chowdhury's Political History and Rejinagar Pullout
In Rejinagar, the exit of Rabiul Alam Chowdhury dealt another substantial blow to the party leadership. Hailing from Mirzapur in the Beldanga area of Murshidabad district, Chowdhury brings a markedly different background to the table. Alongside farming and community service, he holds a B.Com degree completed in 1983 from SRF College, an institution affiliated with the University of Calcutta. He comes from an established political household, being the nephew of former legislator Nurul Chowdhury.
Chowdhury began his active parliamentary career within the Congress party, winning the Rejinagar seat for the first time during a 2013 assembly by-election. He successfully retained the constituency under the Congress banner during the 2016 assembly polls. In 2021, he switched over to the Trinamool Congress and contested the general election on its ticket, securing a decisive victory with 1,18,494 votes and capturing a 56.73 percent vote share. He served as the local representative from 2021 through 2026.
The Rejinagar seat fell vacant following the resignation of Humayun Kabir, prompting the Mamata Banerjee-led faction to re-nominate Chowdhury for the September 2026 by-poll. Yet, on 19 September, Chowdhury chose to formally retract his candidacy. He explained his decision by pointing to immense operational difficulties in mobilising party cadre around an unfamiliar election symbol, alongside outside pressures and the recent detention of associates. His abrupt withdrawal leaves the Rejinagar contest fundamentally transformed.
Two Contenders, Distinct Trajectories, and Changing Equations
Examining both cases highlights the contrasting backgrounds of the two candidates who chose to exit the ballot within twenty-four hours. Sanchita Pradhan Dey represented a transition from rural administrative bodies to a high-stakes legislative campaign, whereas Rabiul Alam Chowdhury was a three-time elected member of the state assembly with deep constituency familiarity.
Despite their divergent political origins, the synchronised timing of their exits underlines the broader complications arising from the party's ongoing split and the Election Commission's interim restrictions on the traditional party name and symbol. With one candidate leaving the race after meeting an opponent and another citing symbol complications and detentions, the upcoming by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar have entered completely uncharted territory.
