BJP eyes Nandigram seat, but Congress candidate's arrest stirs controversy

Congress candidate Milan Pradhan's release on interim bail has revived the Nandigram Assembly seat by-election campaign after his 12-day detention on charges stemming from a 2007 case. The bypoll holds significant stakes for Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who vacated his long-time seat and fielded the mother of his murdered close aide as the BJP candidate—making it a prestige fight for him.

Pradhan's arrest on old charges has drawn criticism as evidence of BJP high-handedness, particularly following the withdrawal of Mamata Banerjee's candidate at the last moment. With the Trinamool Congress backing Pradhan, the bypoll tests the viability of the Congress-TMC partnership at the ballot box. Emerging from Haldia jail, Pradhan questioned why Adhikari, who claims Nandigram as his political birthplace, fielded "an outsider," noting both were involved in the same land movement that propelled Adhikari to prominence.

As the campaign enters its final four days, the BJP's electoral machinery remains active with posters across the constituency. Congress's visible presence remains limited to Sonachura, Pradhan's ancestral home, while notably absent are any Mamata posters, reflecting tensions within the alliance despite her party's formal support.