Political activity has intensified in West Bengal ahead of the bypolls to the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies. On Tuesday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari addressed minority voters during a public meeting held after BJP candidate Hasirani Rath filed her nomination for the Nandigram seat. During his address, Adhikari appealed to minority voters in both constituencies to support and work with the government. 

Adhikari said that minority voters in Nandigram and Rejinagar would have an opportunity on October 6 to decide whether they wanted to remain with the government and the Chief Minister. He described the upcoming election as a test and said the decision on whether voters would “pass or fail” was up to them. 

The remarks came as both constituencies prepare for the October 6 bypolls. Counting is scheduled for October 9. The Nandigram seat fell vacant after Adhikari vacated it following the 2026 Assembly election. He had won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur and later retained Bhabanipur, leaving the Nandigram seat vacant

The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath from Nandigram. She is the mother of Chandranath Rath, a former aide to Adhikari who was killed in May. The investigation into Chandranath Rath's death was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation, according to reports. 

The BJP has nominated Shakharav Sarkar in Rejinagar. Both constituencies have sizeable minority electorates, making minority voters an important part of the political campaign surrounding the bypolls. Adhikari's direct appeal to these voters has therefore become a significant part of the BJP's campaign messaging. 

During his speech, Adhikari also referred to development and welfare-related initiatives undertaken by the state government. He assured people in Nandigram that fulfilling the promises he had made to the constituency remained his responsibility. He also spoke about continuing development and welfare work during the government's term. 

The remarks drew a response from the Trinamool Congress. Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the election should be approached through the issue of development rather than a majority-minority divide. He said political support should be sought from all sections of society on the basis of development initiativ

The two bypolls feature contests involving multiple political parties. In Nandigram, the BJP is facing candidates from different Trinamool Congress factions, the Congress and Left parties. Rejinagar is also witnessing a multi-party contest. Political parties are campaigning among different sections of the electorate as they seek support ahead of the October 6 vote. 

Nandigram has long been an important constituency in West Bengal politics. The area became nationally prominent during the movement against land acquisition and has remained a significant electoral battleground in subsequent years. The upcoming bypoll is therefore being closely watched for its local and wider political significance.

Following Adhikari's remarks, minority voters have become a more prominent subject in the political discussion surrounding the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls. Voting is scheduled for October 6, while the results are scheduled to be declared on October 9.