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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday (October 9, 2026) swept the West Bengal Assembly bypolls, trouncing its rivals by a record margin in politically significant Nandigram and scoring a surprise victory in Muslim-majority Rejinagar, consolidating its position barely five months after ending the Trinamool Congress’ 15-year rule in the State.
In Nandigram, BJP candidate Hasirani Rath, mother of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s slain personal assistant Chandranath Rath, defeated Congress nominee Milan Pradhan by a record margin of 1,22,753 votes, according to the Election Commission of India. The BJP also registered a major breakthrough in Rejinagar, a Muslim-majority constituency in Murshidabad district, where its candidate Shankharavh Sarkar defeated Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) nominee Golam Nabi Azad by 75,816 votes. Mr. Sarkar polled 1,29,914 votes against Mr. Azad’s 54,098, securing around 63.14% of the votes, while the AJUP candidate received 26.29%.
Meanwhile, the ruling All India N. R. Congress (AINRC) won in Thattanchavady constituency, Puducherry.
In Assam, BJP candidate Devasish Sharma achieved an unassailable lead of 1,76,391 votes over his nearest rival, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, as counting of votes polled in the byelection to the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam progressed, according to the Election Commission. Mr. Sharma, a former IAS officer, polled 6,61,259 votes, while Mr. Ajmal secured 4,84,868 votes and Congress nominee Sibamoni Bora was at a distant third with 1,17,060, according to the ECI trends available till 5.20 p.m.
The counting of votes polled for bypolls to five Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry, and one Lok Sabha seat in Assam began today (October 9, 2026).
