BJP names mother of slain Suvendu aide Chandranath Rath as Nandigram candidate
The BJP has nominated Hasirani Rath, mother of a slain aide to Suvendu Adhikari, as its candidate for the upcoming Nandigram by-election. The seat is a major political battleground, with multiple factions of the Trinamool Congress and other parties also fielding candidates.
Why it matters
The Nandigram by-election is a high-stakes political contest that reflects the ongoing power struggle and factionalism within West Bengal politics.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (September 15, 2026) nominated Hasirani Rath as party candidate for Nandigram Assembly byelection. Ms. Rath is the mother of Chandranath Rath, former personal assistant of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari who was killed in May 6 2026.
Ms. Rath will file her nomination to contest the polls on September 15, and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is likely to be present during the event. Chandranath Rath was shot inside his vehicle in Madhyamgram in Kolkata around 10 p.m. on May 6. The CBI had filed a chargesheet before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Barasat on August 7, which names 12 accused.
ALSO WATCH Watch: Bengal post-poll violence: Suvendu Adhikari’s aide Chandranath Rath shot dead
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