KOLKATA / NEW DELHI — In a major political surge in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a historic landslide victory in the Nandigram bypoll, with party candidate Hasi Rani Rath defeating her nearest rival by an astonishing margin of over 1.22 lakh votes. The result marks the largest winning margin recorded in the high-stakes constituency since 1967.
The Nandigram seat was vacated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari after he scored dual victories in both Nandigram and Bhabanipur during the state general assembly elections, ultimately choosing to retain Bhabanipur.
Emotional Mandate and Record Breakdown
The election carried intense emotional resonance for the BJP campaign. Hasi Rani Rath is the mother of Chandranath Rath, a trusted aide to Suvendu Adhikari who was shot dead in Madhyamgram in May.
The final vote tallies highlight a overwhelming electoral mandate:
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Hasi Rani Rath (BJP): 1,64,227 votes
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Milan Pradhan (Congress): 41,674 votes
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Victory Margin: 1,22,553 votes
This margin easily eclipses the previous benchmark set in 2016, when Suvendu Adhikari won the seat for the Trinamool Congress by a margin of 81,230 votes.
Rejinagar Bypoll Signals Broadening Outreach
Parallel counting in Rejinagar, the second constituency undergoing bypolls in West Bengal, shows the BJP firmly on track for another decisive win. Party candidate Shankaravh Sarkar maintains a massive lead exceeding 75,000 votes.
Analyzing the early trends, Chief Minister Adhikari pointed out that Rejinagar features a 70% minority electorate, compared to 27% in Nandigram. He noted that the strong polling performance across both seats indicates expanding cross-community support for the BJP across West Bengal.
