BJP fields Hasirani Rath, mother of slain aide Chandranath Rath, as candidate from Nandigram for October 6 bypoll

The Bharatiya Janata Party has named Hasirani Rath as its candidate for the Nandigram Assembly by-election in West Bengal, scheduled for October 6, 2026. She is the mother of Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant and close aide to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who was shot dead in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, on the night of May 6, 2026—just two days after the assembly election results.

Hasirani Rath, a five-time winner of panchayat and panchayat samiti elections and a former Trinamool Congress worker who later joined the BJP along with her family when Adhikari switched parties, expressed readiness and happiness at being given the responsibility. Reports indicate she is set to file her nomination, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expected to be present. She has described Adhikari as the “guardian” of her family since her son’s death and stated she would accept any responsibility entrusted by the party leadership with full devotion.

Chandranath Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur, served as Adhikari’s trusted executive assistant and was involved in organisational and election-related work. His killing, carried out in a planned ambush involving motorcycle-borne assailants and a blocking vehicle, sparked a major political controversy. Hasirani Rath had publicly alleged it was political revenge linked to Adhikari’s victories (including against Mamata Banerjee), while the CBI later filed a chargesheet alleging a multi-state conspiracy involving contract killers.

The Nandigram seat fell vacant after Suvendu Adhikari, who won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, chose to retain Bhabanipur (where he defeated Mamata Banerjee) and resigned from Nandigram. He had previously defeated Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021 by a narrow margin. Polling for the bypoll (along with Rejinagar) is on October 6, with counting on October 9. Nominations close around September 16.

Rival factions of the Trinamool Congress have already named candidates: the Mamata Banerjee-led group has fielded Sanchita Pradhan (Dey), while the Ritabrata Banerjee faction has nominated Mohammad Ehetash Mul Haque (or similar). Other parties, including Congress (Milan Pradhan) and CPI (Shanti Gopal Giri), have also announced nominees. The bypoll is seen as an early test amid TMC’s internal split over the party’s name and symbol.

Political observers note a parallel with past Nandigram contests, where “martyr’s mother” figures have been fielded. Hasirani Rath’s candidacy is expected to highlight issues of post-poll violence and political retaliation in the high-profile constituency long associated with the Adhikari family and the 2007 land movement.