West Bengal Bypolls: Nandigram records 60.32% turnout, Rejinagar at 56.43% till 1 PM

Kolkata, The voter turnout in the bypolls to Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly seats in West Bengal was 58.37 per cent till 1 pm on Tuesday, an official said.

Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm.

The Nandigram seat in Purba Medinipur district recorded a polling percentage of 60.32 till 1 pm, while Rejinagar in Murshidabad registered 56.43 per cent voter turnout during the same period.


A poll panel official said voting was mostly "peaceful", barring a few untoward incidents.

"Polling is being held peacefully. We are witnessing a good turnout in both the assembly constituencies where adequate central forces have been deployed," the official said.

The election commission official said they have sought a report from the district election office regarding the arrest of Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir following an argument with police during polling at Rejinagar constituency.

The Nandigram seat was the epicentre of former CM Mamata Banerjee's anti-land acquisition movement that helped pave the way for the TMC's rise in 2011.

It was also where BJP's Suvendu Adhikari defeated Banerjee in 2021.

Adhikari, now chief minister, won Nandigram again in the 2026 assembly election but retained Bhabanipur in south Kolkata, necessitating the bypoll.

The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of Chandranath Rath, a former aide of Adhikari.

Chandranath was shot dead on May 6, two days after the BJP won the assembly elections. Hasirani's candidature has added an emotional dimension to the contest.

The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction's nominee Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her name after meeting Adhikari, following which Banerjee, left without a candidate, backed Congress nominee Milan Pradhan and described the move as an effort to strengthen the INDIA bloc.

Pradhan was arrested in old cases linked to the 2007 Nandigram land-acquisition agitation but later secured interim bail and returned to campaign.

The rival TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee has fielded Mohammad Eteshamul Haque under the envelope symbol and a separate temporary party identity. The CPI has nominated Santigopal Giri.

Rejinagar in Murshidabad presents a different political equation.

The seat fell vacant after Humayun Kabir, who won both Rejinagar and Nowda in the 2026 assembly election, retained Nowda. AJUP has fielded his son Golam Nabi Azad.

The contest includes BJP nominee Sakharav Sarkar, former Murshidabad district president, Mamata-led TMC candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, rival TMC candidate Safiuzzaman Sheikh; Congress nominee Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi and CPI(M)'s Syed Asad Ali.