The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Hasirani Rath, the mother of slain personal assistant Chandranath Rath, as its candidate for the Nandigram Assembly by-election scheduled for October 6.
Chandranath Rath was the personal assistant of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. He was shot dead on May 3, just three days before Adhikari took oath as chief minister on May 6, following the BJP’s victory in the West Bengal Assembly election.
The BJP had swept to power in the state, ending the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year rule. The killing of Rath had triggered political controversy, with the case subsequently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In July, the CBI arrested two BJP workers in connection with the case. They were accused of allegedly planning Rath’s murder. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death is continuing.
A BJP leader confirmed that Hasirani Rath will contest the Nandigram by-election. The party has also named Sakharav Sarkar as its candidate for the Rejinagar Assembly seat.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is expected to campaign for Hasirani Rath. According to reports, he may lead a rally ahead of her nomination filing in Haldia.
The Nandigram seat was vacated by Adhikari after he won both Nandigram and Kolkata’s Bhabanipur constituencies in the Assembly election. He eventually chose to represent Bhabanipur, where he defeated former chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
The Nandigram contest is expected to be closely watched, particularly because of the political significance of the constituency and the developments within the Trinamool Congress. The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC announced its candidates for the by-elections on Sunday, while a rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee announced its candidates on Monday.
The two TMC factions are also engaged in a dispute over the party’s election symbol. The Election Commission of India is examining claims from both sides regarding control of the TMC’s organisational structure and election symbol.
Both factions have been asked to submit additional documents to the Election Commission by September 16. Representatives of the rival groups met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi last week as the dispute continues.
The results of the two West Bengal by-elections, including Nandigram and Rejinagar, will be announced on October 9. The deadline for filing nominations is September 16.
The BJP emerged as the dominant force in the May Assembly election, winning 207 of the 294 seats, while the TMC secured 80 seats. The BJP later added another seat after winning a re-poll in Falta.
The Nandigram by-election will therefore be an important political test for the BJP as well as the competing TMC factions. With Hasirani Rath’s candidature bringing the killing of Chandranath Rath into the campaign, the contest is expected to attract significant political attention ahead of polling day.
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