By Tirthankar Mitra
KOLKATA: With one seat each in their kitty post 2026 state Assembly elections, Congress and Left are in political wilderness. Scheduled to be held on October 6 Nandigram by -election offers them a chance to again make their presence in a not too big way felt in West Bengal politics.
Even their most enthusiastic supporter would. not predict a victory for either outfit. For Nandigram has been the bedrock of Suvendu Adhikari ‘s political career long before he became the chief minister.
It was at Nandigram that Adhikari defeated the then chief minister, Mamata Banerjee for the first time in 2021 Assembly elections. It marked his rise to the top of the Opposition ranks in state politics.
Adhikari won for the second successive occasion from it this year and registered another victory against Banerjee at Bhowanipore. He resigned as a legislator from Nandigram which necessitated the by-election.
But this rural constituency continues to be under his thumb. Fielding a political non-entity Hashirani Rath, the mother of his close aide who has been assassinated is a pointer to his confidence in the outcome of this by-poll.
Given the 2026 poll percentages, neither Congress nominee Milan Pradhan nor the CPI candidate Santigopal Giri stands a chance against the bereaved mother. The Left candidate polled 1.19 per cent votes while 0.32 per cent votes were cast in favour of the Congress nominee in the 2026 assembly polls.
But a sense of disquiet prevails in Nandigram post Pradhan’s arrest in connection with a case of 2007 land agitation movement in Nandigram. How can a stir which had catapulted both Banerjee and Adhikari to the centre-stage of politics put Pradhan behind the bars is a question doing the rounds among voters.
Apart, the local administration is giving threats to the Congress workers telling them not to join the campaign for Milan Pradhan. In Nandigram, many of the Congress workers have old cases. So, they are at the mercy of local police. The police can harass them at any time. The Congress leaders including Pradhan are alleging direct collusion of local administration with the BJP.
Small wonder, people are flocking to see Pradhan campaigning after his release on bail. Never in recent memory has a Congress nominee created so much curiosity and drawn such crowds from whom he expects “some sympathy votes.”
Moreover, Mamata Banerjee announcing the support of her party Mamata All India Trinamool Congress (MAITC) for the Congress nominee has added a new dimension to this electoral battle. The move followed the withdrawal of the MAITC nominee in favour of the saffron camp.
Astute politician that Adhikari is, he was quick to spot that two of his rival outfits are closing ranks. Keeping in mind that the TMC. nominee against him, Pabitra Kar got 47 per cent votes which can go the Congress candidate’s way, he added more momentum to the saffron campaign fielding the leading lights of the state unit to seek votes for the newcomer.
The chief minister has given a call for support to the minority community when he called upon them to show their acceptance of his overture for his friendship on October 6. His call can also help the Opposition nominees.
In this backdrop, the Congress nominee Pradhan, has the field open for him to make the most of the situation. He may be contesting an election where odds are very high against him.
But as he campaigns as the joint nominee of Congress and MAITC, he sends a message to the electorate beyond Nandigram. The Congress campaign together with that of the CPI makes it clear it can take on a well entrenched BJP showing there is life in them yet.
The Nandigram bypoll was considered to be a cakewalk for the BJP before the Congress nominee was assured of MAITC support. The BJP is not unsure of victory but its nominee may have a bumpy ride to the victory stand.
In other words, a reduced victory margin or even a rise in votes polled by Congress or CPI would be looked upon as a dent in the chief minister’s popularity in a constituency where he himself is a voter. With only a few months in office, it would be an unacceptable situation to him.
Congress and MAITC making a common cause has alarmed the state BJP leadership. It is not unsure of victory but wants to increase the margin to vindicate the acceptability of the nearly five month old BJP government to the people of West Bengal.
One may not lose sight of the fact that the Opposition comprising Trinamool Congress which is split, its organisation in tatters while the Left and the Congress have taken advantage of this absence. It is certainly not conducive to Opposition unity but is certainly a sign of Congress and the Left shaking off their isolation and take on the BJP at what is now almost it’s pocket borough.
Once a CPI stronghold, it is a pointer to Left Front coordination that has decided to field Giri from Nandigram seeks to be in the thick of an electoral battle expecting support from parts of Sonachura and Bhangabera. Given the measly vote percentages of Congress and the Left in last April election, one does not expect either Pradhan or Giri to pull off a surprise victory.
But the fact remains that with the Trinamool faction loyal of Mamata Banerjee out of the contest, the Congress and CPI outfits with no significant political presence in West Bengal is making chief minister Adhikari sweat. It is a moral triumph on the part of the depleted and dispirited Opposition of West Bengal.
One wonders whether Congress and CPI will be able to improve their voting percentage. If they are able to do it, it would mark the beginning of a comeback trail for their political parties. (IPA Service)
