Nandigram By-election Landscape Remains Fragmented After Candidate Exit

The sudden withdrawal of TMC's announced candidate, Sanchita Pradhan De, has left the Nandigram by-election in a state of uncertainty. As the filing deadline has already closed, the party cannot replace her on the ballot, forcing its supporters to split their loyalties among multiple contenders.

Ritabrata Banerjee's faction has nominated Mohammed Ateshamul Haq, the CPI is fielding Shanti Gopal Giri, the Congress has put forward Milan Pradhan, and the BJP's candidate is Hasirani Rath. Analysts say the fractured opposition could benefit any one of the parties if vote shares consolidate, but the absence of a clear TMC face may also embolden rival camps.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee continued to criticize the BJP, alleging that AI‑driven interventions and irregularities with electronic voting machines have marred the fairness of recent elections across several states.