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Six Seats, One Big Political Question : Will Mamata Return to Nandigram ?
New Delhi: A fresh political battle is about to erupt, and one constituency is already stealing the spotlight Nandigram! The Election Commission has announced by-elections for six vacant seats across four states, setting the stage for another round of high-voltage electoral contests, with voting scheduled for October 6 and counting on October 9. Among these seats, Nandigram in West Bengal has emerged as the biggest talking point because of its dramatic political history and the intense rivalry between Mamata Banerjee and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
The constituency became the centre of national attention during the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections when Mamata Banerjee took on her former political associate Suvendu Adhikari in one of the most closely watched battles of the election. Adhikari defeated Mamata in Nandigram, securing 127,301 votes, while TMC candidate Pratibha Kar received 117,636 votes; in the earlier 2021 contest involving Mamata, Adhikari had polled 110,764 votes, compared with Mamata’s 108,808 votes. Now, with Adhikari having vacated the Nandigram seat, political speculation has intensified over whether Mamata Banerjee herself could return to the constituency and attempt to rewrite the story. If Mamata enters the fray, the by-election could turn into a dramatic political rematch and become far bigger than an ordinary electoral contest, potentially energising TMC workers and putting the party’s strength in the spotlight.
The suspense is particularly high because Nandigram has long been regarded as a stronghold associated with Adhikari, making any decision by Mamata to contest from here a major political statement. Will Mamata step into the same battlefield where she suffered a high-profile defeat, or will the TMC choose another candidate to take on the BJP ? That question is now dominating political discussions in Bengal.
The Election Commission has also announced a by-election in Rejinagar, giving West Bengal two seats to watch closely. Rejinagar had been won by Humayun Kabir, who later resigned from the constituency, paving the way for the by-election. Meanwhile, the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam, along with Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu and Thattanchavady Assembly seat in Puducherry, will also go to polls.
With six constituencies heading for the ballot box, political parties are expected to intensify campaigning and candidate selection in the coming days. However, beyond the numbers and electoral calculations, all eyes are firmly fixed on one possibility Mamata Banerjee returning to Nandigram for another battle that could reignite one of Bengal’s most dramatic political rivalries.
