Archive · 13 Sep 2026
Mamata-Led TMC Names Candidates for Bengal Bypolls
The Trinamool Congress group led by Mamata Banerjee has chosen two people for upcoming elections in West Bengal.
Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) will contest from Nandigram.
Rabiul Alam Chowdhury will contest from Rejinagar.
These elections are needed because the previous members left those seats vacant.
Voting is planned for October 6, and votes will be counted on October 9.
Other parties, including Congress, CPI(M) and CPI, have also selected candidates.
Another group claiming to be the real TMC is led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
The Election Commission is deciding which group can use the TMC name and its election symbol.
The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress named Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) for Nandigram and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury for Rejinagar.
Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) is a new candidate, while Rabiul Alam Chowdhury is a former MLA.
The October 6 bypolls were triggered by Suvendu Adhikari vacating Nandigram and Humayun Kabir resigning from Rejinagar.
Congress, CPI(M) and CPI have also announced candidates for the two constituencies.
A rival TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee had not announced nominees, while the Election Commission was considering the factions’ competing claims over the party name and symbol.
- Who
- The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction, its candidates Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, and rival political parties and TMC faction leaders.
- What
- Candidates were announced for by-elections in the Nandigram and Rejinagar West Bengal Assembly constituencies.
- When
- The bypolls are scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9; the candidate announcement was made on Sunday, September 13.
- Where
- Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district and Rejinagar in Murshidabad district, West Bengal.
- Why
- The seats became vacant after Suvendu Adhikari vacated Nandigram and Humayun Kabir resigned from Rejinagar.
Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction
Ritabrata Banerjee-led rival faction
Claim to the TMC identity
Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction
The Mamata Banerjee-led camp says it is the legitimate Trinamool Congress and that its existing organisational committees remain valid under the party constitution.
Ritabrata Banerjee-led rival faction
The Ritabrata Banerjee-led camp says it has the support of a majority of newly elected TMC MLAs and seeks recognition as the real TMC.
Candidates and bypoll participation
Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction
The Mamata-led faction has nominated Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) in Nandigram and Rabiul Alam Chowdhury in Rejinagar.
Ritabrata Banerjee-led rival faction
The rival faction had not announced nominees in the report but indicated it intended to contest, potentially as independents if the dispute remained unresolved before the nomination deadline.
Party name and symbol
Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction
The Mamata-led faction intends to contest using the TMC name and the existing election symbol.
Ritabrata Banerjee-led rival faction
The rival faction also sought to use the TMC name and symbol; the Election Commission was considering a possible interim arrangement involving temporary names and symbols.
- Nandigram TMC candidate
- Sanchita Pradhan (Dey)
- Rejinagar TMC candidate
- Rabiul Alam Chowdhury
- Polling date
- October 6
- Counting date
- October 9
- Nandigram vacancy
- Suvendu Adhikari vacated the seat and chose to retain Bhabanipur, according to the report.
- Rejinagar vacancy
- Humayun Kabir resigned from the seat after also securing victory from Nowda.
- TMC dispute
- The Election Commission is considering competing claims by the Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee factions over the party name and election symbol.
