Kolkata, Oct 6: The arrest of AJUP chief and MLA Humayun Kabir in Rejinagar and Congress demands for repolling in both constituencies over alleged irregularities marked a tense day of polling in West Bengal on Tuesday, as the BJP sought a bigger win in Nandigram while eyeing a breakthrough in the minority-dominated Rejinagar seat.
The voter turnout in the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies stood at 70.54 per cent till 3 pm, an official said.
Polling began at 7 am and was scheduled to continue till 6 pm.
The BJP, which repeatedly accused the TMC of electoral malpractice and voter intimidation during its 15-year rule, now faces similar allegations in its first electoral test since coming to power in West Bengal in May.
The day’s most dramatic confrontation unfolded in Rejinagar, where Kabir, the Nowda MLA and founder of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), was arrested following a heated exchange with police outside his party office.
His son, Golam Nabi Azad, is contesting the seat vacated by his father.
Kabir accused the police of acting at the behest of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and urged residents to resist alleged police excesses with mugurs, or heavy wooden clubs. He also claimed that 64 of his supporters had been detained.
Police personnel were seen pulling Kabir by his shirt and escorting him into a vehicle, triggering a political row over the circumstances of his arrest.
Police said Kabir was neither a candidate nor an authorised election agent and could not move around in the manner he had been doing.
He was arrested over allegations of attempting to influence voters and incite them, though formal details were not immediately available.
“The MLA of Nowda has been arrested. Law is equal for everyone, and nobody should try to violate it,” Adhikari said.
BJP candidate Sakharav Sarkar accused Kabir of attempting to incite violence, citing his earlier warning that 10 people could be killed on polling day.
The arrest came amid allegations of widespread irregularities in Rejinagar.
Mamata Banerjee camp’s TMC candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury wrote to the Election Commission seeking repolling, claiming that only 25-30 of the 315 polling agents appointed by his party remained at their booths, while the others had been driven out.
Safiuzzaman Sheikh, the candidate of the rebel Trinamool faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, also alleged that his agents had been expelled from several booths.
Congress candidate Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi staged a sit-in outside Rejinagar police station, demanding cancellation of the bypoll and fresh polling.
Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury led a protest march to the district magistrate’s office, alleging that votes were being looted.
West Bengal Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar demanded repolling in both Nandigram and Rejinagar, alleging that voters had been denied the opportunity to exercise their franchise and describing the election as a “farce”.
The CPI(M) alleged that its agents were prevented from entering booths 112, 113, 114 and 122 in the Moradighi area of Dadpur. Opposition parties also claimed that some voters were sent home after indelible ink was applied to their fingers without their being allowed to vote.
AJUP candidate Azad alleged that party workers, leaders and voters had faced intimidation for nearly two months, accusing the police of conducting house raids, vandalising property and threatening residents in minority-dominated areas.
“If people were able to cast their votes, I would have accepted the result. But people are not being allowed to exercise their franchise. What is the use of such a by-election?” he said, alleging that some voters were turned away after being told their votes had already been cast.
The BJP rejected the allegations of electoral malpractice, accusing opposition leaders of making provocative statements to vitiate the atmosphere and prepare the ground to challenge the result.
In Nandigram, Congress candidate Milan Pradhan alleged that his polling agents were being prevented from entering or sitting inside booths and accused the police of failing to act on complaints of intimidation.
At Sonachura, Pradhan was involved in a heated exchange with BJP workers who questioned the Congress’s support base. “You have no players, so how will you play?” a BJP worker told him.
Pradhan also alleged that voters had been subjected to a lathicharge at Chakraberia.
A CPI agent was allegedly assaulted at Sarberia and admitted to hospital, while the Congress claimed groups of motorcyclists were entering Nandigram from neighbouring Khejuri through the Tekhali bridge.
Police detained the Congress president of Nandigram-I block over alleged attempts to create disturbances, a charge also levelled by BJP leaders.
BJP candidate Hasirani Rath maintained that polling was peaceful and taking place in a festive atmosphere.
Her candidacy has added an emotional dimension to the contest. She is the mother of Chandranath Rath, a former aide of Adhikari who was shot dead on May 6, two days after the BJP won the Assembly election.
Nandigram remains central to Bengal’s political history. The anti-land acquisition movement there helped propel the TMC to power in 2011, before Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee in the constituency in 2021.
After winning both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the 2026 Assembly elections, Adhikari retained the south Kolkata seat and vacated Nandigram, necessitating the bypoll.
TMC’s Mamata Banerjee faction nominee Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew after meeting Adhikari, following which Banerjee backed Congress candidate Pradhan in a bid to strengthen the INDIA bloc.
A rebel TMC faction has fielded Mohammad Eteshamul Haque, while the CPI has nominated Santigopal Giri.
The BJP is confident of improving its victory margin in Nandigram and is also hoping to spring a surprise in Rejinagar.
State BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya predicted a comfortable victory in Rejinagar, claiming that minority voters were seeking factories and industrial development rather than being swayed by religious issues. (PTI)
