BJP widens lead in Nandigram, Rejinagar as Bengal bypoll counting continues

Kolkata: BJP candidates on Friday extended their advantage in Nandigram and Rejinagar seats of West Bengal, where counting has been underway for by-elections, according to Election Commission trends.

BJP made unexpected gains in Muslim-majority Rejinagar in Murshidabad district, where its candidate Shankharavh Sarkar was leading by 34,501 votes over his nearest rival, Golam Nabi Azad of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), after the fifth round of counting.

Sarkar polled 48,101 votes, while Azad secured 13,600 votes.


According to figures released by the Election Commission on its website, Mamata All India Trinamool Congress candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury was in the third spot with 2,516 votes, while Congress’ Abdullahil Kafi fell to the fourth position with 2,407 votes.

BJP’s Hasirani Rath, the mother of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's slain personal assistant Chandranath Rath, was leading in Purba Medinipur's Nandigram by 49,922 votes after six rounds of counting.

Rath advanced with 66,415 votes, while Congress' Milan Pradhan trailed in the second spot with 16,493 votes. Santi Gopal Giri of the CPI secured third place with 2,495 votes and Ali Md Sabe Miraj Khan of the All India Secular Front was in fourth place with 660 votes. Ehteshmul Haque of the Democratic Trinamool Congress followed with 345 votes.

Counting began at 8 am amid tight security at the centres. The bypolls, held on Tuesday, are being watched as an early electoral test of West Bengal's political landscape following the BJP's victory in the Assembly elections earlier this year.

The Nandigram seat in Medinipur fell vacant after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, retained the latter. He defeated former CM Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur.

(With inputs from PTI)