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BJP Wins Nandigram and Rejinagar Bypolls Amid Rigging Claims
The BJP won two local election contests, in Nandigram and Rejinagar, by large margins.
Hasi Rani Rath won in Nandigram, and Shankharavh Sarkar won in Rejinagar.
Some opposition politicians said people were pressured or that voting was unfair.
One Congress candidate questioned whether the election had been real.
A regional politician also said some people in minority areas may not have been able to vote.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said voters, including Muslim women, supported the party.
He credited beneficiaries of a government scheme with helping the BJP win in Rejinagar.
The article reports the competing claims but does not independently establish whether the elections were rigged.
BJP candidates Hasi Rani Rath and Shankharavh Sarkar won the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls by 122,753 and 75,816 votes, respectively.
Rath received around 76 per cent of the vote in Nandigram; Sarkar received around 63 per cent in Rejinagar.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and CPM state secretary Md Salim alleged that the elections were shaped by intimidation or rigging.
Congress candidate Milan Pradhan questioned whether a genuine election had taken place, while Kunal Ghosh said some voters in minority-dominated areas could not vote.
Suvendu Adhikari praised Muslim voters’ support and said beneficiaries of the Annapurna Yojana helped secure the BJP’s Rejinagar victory.
- Who
- BJP candidates Hasi Rani Rath and Shankharavh Sarkar won; opposition politicians alleged intimidation or rigging, while Suvendu Adhikari praised voter support.
- What
- The BJP won the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls by large margins, amid opposition allegations of electoral misconduct.
- Where
- Nandigram and Rejinagar.
- When
- Polling was held on October 6; the article does not specify the date of the results.
- Why
- The BJP attributed its victories to voter support, including support from Muslim voters; opposition figures said the results followed intimidation, rigging, or voters being unable to cast ballots.
Opposition allegations
BJP response
Fairness of the election
Opposition allegations
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called the election engineered through “silent violence”; Md Salim alleged booth rigging, and Milan Pradhan questioned whether a genuine election had taken place.
BJP response
Suvendu Adhikari presented the results as evidence of broad voter support and said people had accepted the BJP’s appeal to join hands with the government for development.
Support from minority voters
Opposition allegations
Kunal Ghosh said a survey in minority-dominated areas would show that people had been unable to vote.
BJP response
Adhikari said the BJP had led in 60 minority-dominated booths in Nandigram and credited 35,000 Muslim women beneficiaries of the Annapurna Yojana with supporting the party in Rejinagar.
Key facts
- Nandigram winner
- Hasi Rani Rath (BJP)
- Nandigram margin
- 122,753 votes
- Nandigram vote share
- Around 76 per cent
- Rejinagar winner
- Shankharavh Sarkar (BJP)
- Rejinagar margin
- 75,816 votes
- Rejinagar vote share
- Around 63 per cent
- Polling date
- October 6
- Disputed claim
- Opposition figures alleged silent violence, intimidation, or rigging; the BJP praised voter support.
Quotes
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
Senior Congress leader
“Similarly, in Rejinagar, the people have blessed BJP candidate Shankharavh Sarkar, irrespective of caste, religion, party or political affiliation. Such a massive victory would never have been possible without the support of 35,000 Muslim women beneficiaries of the Annapurna Yojana in Rejinagar, who voted for us.”
telegraphindia.com
“The election was engineered through silent violence. You can describe it as silent terror where no bombs exploded, and no blood was shed, yet they did whatever they wanted, just to keep winning.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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