Archive · 9 Oct 2026
BJP Wins Nandigram Bypoll by 122,753 Votes
Hasi Rani Rath of the BJP won the Nandigram by-election in West Bengal.
She beat Milan Pradhan of the Congress by 122,753 votes.
The Election Commission figures cited in reports give Rath 164,427 votes and Pradhan 41,674.
Rath received 75.94% of the votes, while Pradhan received 19.25%.
Rath is the mother of Chandranath Rath, an aide to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari who was killed in May.
The election was held because Adhikari kept the Bhabanipur seat after winning both it and Nandigram in 2026.
BJP candidate Shankharavh Sarkar was ahead in Rejinagar during counting, though one report says he won there.
The reports therefore differ about whether the Rejinagar result had been finalized.
BJP candidate Hasi Rani Rath defeated Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in the Nandigram Assembly by-election by 122,753 votes.
Election Commission figures reported Rath received 164,427 votes, including 163,630 EVM votes and 797 postal votes.
Pradhan received 41,674 votes, including 41,521 EVM votes and 153 postal votes; their reported vote shares were 75.94% and 19.25%, respectively.
The Nandigram seat became vacant after Suvendu Adhikari retained Bhabanipur, having won both seats in the 2026 Assembly election.
Reports differ on Rejinagar: some describe BJP candidate Shankharavh Sarkar as leading during counting, while another says he won with 75,691 votes.
- Who
- Hasi Rani Rath of the BJP defeated Milan Pradhan of the Congress.
- What
- Rath won the Nandigram Assembly by-election by 122,753 votes.
- When
- The result was declared Friday, October 9; polling took place October 6, according to the reports.
- Where
- Nandigram, West Bengal, India.
- Why
- The seat became vacant after Suvendu Adhikari retained Bhabanipur, having won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the 2026 Assembly election.
Opposition and electoral context
BJP and Adhikari's claims
Rejinagar result
Opposition and electoral context
One report described counting as ongoing and the BJP candidate as leading, with the result still awaiting official confirmation.
BJP and Adhikari's claims
Another report said BJP candidate Shankharavh Sarkar won Rejinagar with 75,691 votes.
BJP support among Muslim voters
Opposition and electoral context
Suvendu Adhikari said opponents had spread misconceptions among Bengali-speaking Muslims about the BJP and its policies.
BJP and Adhikari's claims
Adhikari argued that welfare assistance, including the Annapurna Yojana and pension schemes, had helped change perceptions and gain support from Muslim voters.
- Winner
- Hasi Rani Rath (BJP)
- Runner-up
- Milan Pradhan (Congress)
- Rath's total
- 164,427 votes in the Election Commission figures cited by multiple reports
- Pradhan's total
- 41,674 votes
- Victory margin
- 122,753 votes
- Reported vote shares
- Rath: 75.94%; Pradhan: 19.25%
- Rejinagar
- Reports say Sarkar was leading during counting; one report gives him 75,691 votes and says he won.
Sources
BJP Wins Nandigram Bypoll As Hasi Rani Rath Secures Landslide Victory
BJP's Hasirani Rath Wins Nandigram Bypoll By 1.22 Lakh Votes, CM Calls Victory 'Unprecedented'
BJP Wins Nandigram Bypoll By Record Margin Of Over 1.2 Lakh, Leads In Rejinagar