Kolkata: In a massive political victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, the party has swept the crucial assembly by-elections in the Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies. Registering comprehensive victories with heavy margins, the BJP has further consolidated its political footprint and popular support in the state.
The highlight of the election results was the historic win of BJP candidate Hasirani Rath from the high-profile Nandigram seat. Rath, the mother of late Chandranath Rath—former personal assistant to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari—broke Adhikari’s previous victory margin record by securing a win with an astonishing margin of over 1.22 lakh votes. Chandranath Rath was tragically murdered following the declaration of the assembly election results earlier this year, making this victory particularly poignant for the party and her supporters.
Meanwhile, in the Rejinagar assembly constituency, BJP candidate Sakharav Sarkar also delivered a stellar performance. Sarkar defeated his political rivals by a significant margin of 72,710 votes, reflecting strong voter consolidation.
The by-elections were necessitated after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari chose to retain the Bhabanipur seat and vacated Nandigram. Similarly, Aam Janta Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir vacated Rejinagar to retain his Nawada constituency, triggering the fresh polls.
Expressing his satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the elections, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that the mandate reflects growing trust in the government’s law and order machinery. “There was no bombing or firing during the by-elections. There was no need for re-polling anywhere. The new government has created an environment of fear-free trust,” Adhikari remarked. Emphasising the shifting demographic support, he added, “The minorities want to stay with the government. Hasirani Rath broke my victory record in Nandigram, and the majority of votes we received in Rejinagar came from the minorities.”
State Minister Indranil Khan also lauded the decisive mandate, attributing the electoral success to the ruling party’s administrative model. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ has presented a model of good governance in West Bengal. The way the double-engine government is working in the state has significantly boosted people’s confidence, and this is clearly evident from the election results,” Khan stated.
The outcomes of these by-elections are being viewed as politically significant, underscoring the BJP’s expanding influence and ability to secure sweeping victories across diverse demographic segments in West Bengal.