Bengal: CM Adhikari meets family of 6-year-old girl killed in Rejinagar stampede
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari meets the family of a 6-year-old girl who died during a TMC rally in Rejinagar amid by-election campaigning.
In a somber moment during his election campaign, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the family of a six-year-old girl who tragically lost her life in Rejinagar. The child reportedly died during a stampede-like situation that occurred during a political rally organized by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate in the constituency.
The Chief Minister offered his deepest condolences to the grieving family while visiting the area on Thursday. This visit comes as the state prepares for critical Assembly by-elections, with the political atmosphere in Rejinagar and Nandigram reaching a fever pitch.
High-Stakes By-Elections in Rejinagar and Nandigram
The upcoming polls are set for October 6, with the counting of votes scheduled for October 9. The Election Commission has mandated that the entire electoral process must be concluded by October 11.
The Rejinagar seat became vacant following the resignation of Humayun Kabir, the founder of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP). Meanwhile, the Nandigram bypoll was triggered after Suvendu Adhikari vacated the seat to retain Bhabanipur, where he had previously defeated TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.
The Battle Lines are Drawn
The political landscape for the upcoming contests features a wide array of candidates and heavyweights:
- Rejinagar Constituency:
- BJP: Sakharav Sarkar
- TMC: Rabiul Alam Chowdhury
- Congress: Mohd Abdullahil Kafi
- CPI(M): Advocate Sayeed Asad Ali
- Nandigram Constituency:
- BJP: Hasirani Rath
- TMC: Sanchita Pradhan (Dey)
- Congress: Milan Pradhan
- CPI: Shanti Gopal Giri
BJP Deploys Heavyweight Campaigners
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has mobilized a massive campaign force for these by-elections. According to a list released by the party's Central Office, the campaign will be led by state party chief Samik Bhattacharya and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
Other prominent figures expected to join the fray include:
- Mithun Chakraborty (Actor-turned-politician)
- Dilip Ghosh (State Minister)
- Sukanta Majumdar
- Locket Chatterjee
- Soumitra Khan
- Agnimitra Paul
- Rudranil Ghosh
- Roopa Ganguly
To ensure organized campaigning, Samik Bhattacharya has appointed BJP MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato as the in-charge for Nandigram, while state minister Gouri Shankar Ghosh will oversee the Rejinagar constituency.
TMC Internal Turmoil and Legal Hurdles
Adding complexity to the election is an ongoing internal dispute within the Trinamool Congress regarding the party's name and official election symbol. The Election Commission has recently stepped in with an interim order, prohibiting both rival factions of the TMC from using the party's name or symbol until the legal matter is fully resolved.