Trinamool Congress split heads to polls with rival factions contesting Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls

The rebel Trinamool Congress faction headed by Ritabrata Banerjee has fielded Mohammad Eteshamul Haque from Nandigram and Safiuzzaman Sheikh from Rejinagar for the October 6 bypolls, escalating the intra-party confrontation as both camps race to assert legitimacy in their first direct electoral contest since the split.

Conditional Nomination Triggers Direct Fight

The Ritabrata camp's decision to name a candidate in Nandigram follows Mamata Banerjee's decision not to contest the seat herself. The breakaway faction had earlier indicated it would not field a nominee from the Purba Medinipur district constituency if the TMC supremo entered the race. With that scenario now off the table, Mohammad Eteshamul Haque will take on the Mamata-led faction's Sanchita Pradhan (Dey), a new entrant announced as the official TMC candidate.

In Rejinagar, Murshidabad district, Safiuzzaman Sheikh will face former MLA Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, who was named by the Mamata camp. The Mamata faction made its candidate announcements one day earlier.

Electoral Test After Party Fracture

The byelections mark the first significant electoral challenge for the rival faction that emerged after the TMC split following its defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. The contest has become an unusual battle in which both factions will attempt to prove they are the legitimate political successor of the Trinamool Congress, even as the BJP seeks to exploit the opposition party's internal division.

The parallel candidacies unfold against the backdrop of an unresolved dispute over the party's name, organisational control and election symbol. The Election Commission has already heard submissions from representatives of both camps regarding their competing claims to the TMC's name, organisational machinery, assets and the 'Jora Ghash Phool' (twin flowers on grass) symbol.

Source: The Hindu