Opposition candidates raise allegations of intimidation during bypoll campaigning in West Bengal

West Bengal is witnessing a turbulent bypoll campaign in both Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies. Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate from Nandigram, applied for bail before the Calcutta High Court on Monday (September 21, 2026). Aam Janata Unnayan Party leader Humayun Kabir said that police are pressurising him not to campaign for his son Golam Nabi Azad at Rejinagar.

Mr. Pradhan was arrested on September 18 hours after former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended her support to the candidate. Many across political party lines have called this a “targeted attack”.

However, Congress party members and local leaders in Nandigram started campaigning on Monday on the streets of the constituency without the candidate‘s physical presence on the ground as he remains in judicial custody till October 3 for cases dating back to 2007.