Political equations across West Bengal are shifting swiftly as crucial by-elections draw closer, throwing the ruling Trinamool Congress into deep disarray. Within barely twenty-four hours of its official contestant pulling out of the high-stakes Nandigram assembly seat, the party suffered another major blow in Rejinagar. The announcement by Rejinagar candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury that he intends to withdraw his nomination has rattled the party hierarchy and disrupted its campaign blueprints. Across political circles, this rapid sequence of events is being analyzed as the second major chapter of the ongoing rivalry between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, with the momentum tilting decisively in favor of the Bharatiya Janata Party leader for now. Facing unexpected turbulence on the ground, the Trinamool leadership is currently working on an alternative strategy to regain lost footing.
Surprise Withdrawals Ahead of the October By-Elections
Voting across both the Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies is scheduled to take place on October 6, with official election results slated for announcement on October 9. Having official party nominees abandon their campaigns with nearly a month still remaining before polling day has triggered intense debate across the state. The crisis erupted on Friday when Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the officially declared Trinamool Congress nominee for Nandigram, abruptly stepped back from the electoral fray. What made her decision particularly startling was that merely hours prior to stepping down, she had visited the state secretariat Nabanna, where she met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while also crossing paths with local Bharatiya Janata Party legislator and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Her sudden withdrawal immediately following those high-level discussions has sparked widespread political speculation.
Rejinagar Setback Hands Advantage to Bharatiya Janata Party
Before the ruling party could even formulate a damage-control plan for Nandigram, trouble flared up in Rejinagar as well. Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, the designated Trinamool candidate for the seat, made public his decision to walk away from the contest. In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Shakharav Sarkar from Rejinagar, who now finds himself in an extraordinarily advantageous position akin to a virtual walkover. Losing candidates in two consecutive constituencies right at the onset of campaigning has dealt a severe blow to the ruling party's administrative machinery and campaign morale in the region.
The Legacy of the 2021 Nandigram Rivalry
The intense confrontation between these two political figures traces back to the historic 2021 assembly elections in West Bengal. During that fierce contest, Suvendu Adhikari achieved a landmark victory by defeating Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her chosen battlefield of Nandigram. That watershed moment cemented his status as the primary political challenger to the ruling establishment in the state. Now, amid these 2026 by-elections, the sudden surrender of key Trinamool candidates is reshaping the regional political balance in three distinct ways.
Internal Dissension and Shaken Party Morale
Political observers point out that having contestants retreat well before polling opens signals a notable decline in confidence among grassroots party workers. The development simultaneously demonstrates that Suvendu Adhikari continues to command extensive influence across his home turf in southern Bengal. Insiders within the ruling party indicate that severe factional strife, discontent among local leaders, and rebellious undercurrents made the nominees increasingly hesitant to continue their campaigns. Conversely, this unexpected strategic advantage has generated immense enthusiasm among Bharatiya Janata Party cadres gearing up for subsequent political battles.
A Test of Authority for the Ruling Establishment
Reclaiming full control over what were once dependable political strongholds has become an urgent priority for Mamata Banerjee. Suvendu Adhikari has demonstrated that beyond defending his personal legislative constituency, he possesses the strategic acumen to outmaneuver the ruling camp on key battlegrounds. With polling scheduled for October 6, the departure of Trinamool candidates clearly indicates that the opposition leader's political maneuvers have breached the ruling party's fortifications. Although the final counting will be finalized on October 9, political analysts believe that in this opening phase of their renewed clash, Suvendu Adhikari has secured a decisive psychological advantage.
