Archive · 12 Sep 2026
TMC Rebels Offer Mamata Banerjee Nandigram Bypoll Passage
Nandigram will have a special election on October 6.
The election is needed because Suvendu Adhikari left the seat.
Mamata Banerjee has not said whether she will run there.
A rebel group from her former party says it will not run a candidate against her if she contests.
The rebels say they want her to return to the state Assembly.
They also criticized her for losing earlier elections in Nandigram and Bhabanipur.
The Trinamool Congress is split into rival groups.
The BJP says it believes it can win the bypolls.
Another special election will take place in Rejinagar.
TMC rebels said they may not field a candidate if Mamata Banerjee contests the Nandigram bypoll.
The October 6 bypoll was triggered after BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari vacated the Nandigram seat.
Banerjee has not announced whether she will contest the constituency.
Rebel leaders said they want Banerjee to return to the Assembly, despite criticizing her electoral record.
Rejinagar will also hold a bypoll after former TMC leader Humayun Kabir resigned from the seat.
- Who
- Mamata Banerjee, the rebel Trinamool Congress faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Suvendu Adhikari.
- What
- The rebel faction offered not to field a candidate against Mamata Banerjee in the Nandigram bypoll if she contests.
- When
- The Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for October 6; the offer was reported on September 12, 2026.
- Where
- Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies in West Bengal, India.
- Why
- The Nandigram seat became vacant after Suvendu Adhikari vacated it; the rebels say they want Banerjee to return to the Assembly and avoid splitting anti-BJP votes.
Rebel TMC faction
BJP and Banerjee critics
Mamata Banerjee’s candidacy
Rebel TMC faction
The rebels say they want Banerjee in the Assembly and would stay out of the Nandigram contest if she runs.
BJP and Banerjee critics
The rebels also argue that Banerjee has not won a general election from Nandigram and criticize her previous defeats.
Bypoll prospects
Rebel TMC faction
The rebels say not contesting against Banerjee could support her return and prevent the division of anti-BJP votes.
BJP and Banerjee critics
The BJP says it is confident of winning the bypolls regardless of which TMC faction contests using the party symbol.
Source of the TMC split
Rebel TMC faction
The rebel faction says its main disagreement is with Abhishek Banerjee rather than Mamata Banerjee.
BJP and Banerjee critics
The rebels blame Abhishek Banerjee for the party’s electoral defeat, while the party remains divided into rival factions.
- Nandigram bypoll
- Scheduled for October 6.
- Vacancy trigger
- Suvendu Adhikari vacated the Nandigram constituency.
- Rebel offer
- The rebel TMC faction said it would not field a candidate if Mamata Banerjee contests.
- Mamata Banerjee
- She has not announced whether she will contest Nandigram.
- Other bypoll
- Rejinagar will also go to the polls.
- Party dispute
- The dispute over the TMC election symbol is before the Election Commission.