Nandigram Bypoll: BJP Fields Mother of Suvendu Adhikari’s Former PA Chandranath Rath

Kolkata: BJP has finally revealed its cards for the by-election to be held on Nandigram assembly seat of West Bengal. The party has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of late Chandranath Rath, as its candidate. Chandranath Rath was close to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and his former personal assistant. He was shot dead in May this year. Now, after a few months, fielding his mother from a high profile seat like Nandigram is being considered a big political decision of BJP.

When did Hasirani come into limelight?

Chandranath Rath was murdered two days after the results of the West Bengal Assembly elections were declared. He was shot at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas. Chandranath was considered close to Suvendu Adhikari. After the incident, Suvendu Adhikari had come to meet his family and had asked to stand with the family. Now BJP has fielded his mother in the election.

Politics is not a new thing for Hasirani Rath. She has also previously won Panchayat and Panchayat Samiti elections. In such a situation, BJP has chosen a face who already has an association with local politics and with whom the emotional background of Chandranath Rath's death is also associated. According to Times of India, Hasirani has won Panchayat and Panchayat Samiti elections five times.

Why is everyone's eye on Nandigram seat?

Nandigram seat is also important this time because it is the seat left by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. In the 2026 assembly elections, Adhikari had won from both Nandigram and Bhawanipur seats. Later he retained Bhawanipur seat and resigned from Nandigram. For this reason the need for by-elections arose here.

The political importance of Nandigram is much more than this. In the 2021 assembly elections, Suvendu Adhikari defeated the then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on this seat. Since then, Nandigram has become a major center of political conflict between BJP and TMC. This time too the entire state will keep an eye on the competition.

Who are all in front of Hasirani?

Trinamool Congress has fielded Sanchita Pradhan Dey against the BJP candidate. Apart from this, the rebel faction of TMC has made Mohammad Eteshamul Haq its candidate. Congress has given ticket to Milan Pradhan and CPI to Shanti Gopal Giri. That means the contest in Nandigram is going to be multi-cornered this time.

After being made the candidate, Hasirani Rath said that the party has given her a chance to contest elections from Nandigram and the organisation is with her. She has talked about moving forward with the support of the public. Even before this, she had said that after the death of her son, Shubhendu Adhikari is the guardian of her family and if he gives her any responsibility, she will accept it.

When will voting take place in Nandigram?

Voting will be held on Nandigram Assembly seat on 6th October and counting of votes will take place on 9th October. The last date for filing nominations is September 16. In such a situation, after the names of the candidates are decided, the election activities will gain momentum.

This decision of BJP has made the Nandigram contest more interesting. On one hand there is strong political hold of Suvendu Adhikari, on the other hand there is an emotional story related to the murder of his son in front of Hasirani Rath. Now the real test will be during the election campaign that how strongly BJP takes this issue among the public and in whose favour the voters of Nandigram give their verdict.