- Mamata Banerjee will not contest the Nandigram bypoll, won't be in Assembly for first time in 15 years
- TMC announced Sanchita Pradhan Dey as the candidate for the Nandigram by-election
- By-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar are scheduled for the first week of October
For the first time in 15 years, Mamata Banerjee will not be seen in the West Bengal Assembly. There was speculation that the TMC supremo, who has faced a massive rebellion within her party following its stunning defeat in the Assembly polls, may contest the Nandigram bypoll to seek a return to the House.
But with the Trinamool Congress announcing Sanchita Pradhan Dey as its Nandigram candidate, that speculation has now been put to rest.
By-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar are scheduled for the first week of October. This will mark the second round of the electoral battle between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress since the 2026 Assembly election.
Former Bengal minister Akhil Giri's recent visit to Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence had also triggered speculation about his name as a possible front-runner for the Nandigram ticket.
But on Sunday, the 'Kalighat Trinamool' (Mamata faction) announced Sanchita Pradhan Dey as its candidate for Nandigram.
"All India Trinamool Congress, under the guidance and inspiration of our Hon'ble Chairperson Smt Mamata Banerjee, is pleased to announce the candidates for the upcoming Nandigram and Rejinagar by-elections," the AITC said in a post on X.
It added: "We wish Smt Sanchita Pradhan (Dey) and Shri Rabiul Alam Chowdhury the very best for this journey. May they carry forward the hopes and aspirations of the people with strength and determination."
The party's choice of candidate is surprising given the emotional and political significance of Nandigram for Mamata Banerjee. It was on the back of the Nandigram movement in 2007 that Mamata Banerjee rode to power in Bengal in 2011. Instead of relying on a prominent leader, the TMC chief has placed her trust in a relatively fresh face for the contest.
In 2026, the Trinamool Congress had fielded Pabitro Kar against Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram after Kar switched over from the BJP. Its bypoll candidate, Sanchita Dey, is a voter at the same polling booth as Kar.
In her forties, Dey is a teacher at Boyal Primary School in Nandigram. Interestingly, she had lost her job following the cancellation of the appointments of 26,000 teachers in connection with the alleged teachers' recruitment scam. Dey got her school job back following a Supreme Court order.
She served as a member of the Panchayat Samiti from 2018 to 2023. Sanchita has been associated with the Trinamool Congress since 2008.
Many analysts view Mamata Banerjee's choice of a former job aspirant as a candidate for the Nandigram bypoll as significant.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had won both the Nandigram and Bhabanipur constituencies. Under the rules, he had to vacate one seat. Adhikari gave up the Nandigram seat, necessitating a fresh election.
