The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced its candidate list for the upcoming by-elections to two West Bengal Legislative Assembly constituencies — Nandigram and Raiganj. The party has fielded Hasirani Rath from Nandigram and Shashwat Sarkar from Raiganj.
Hasirani Rath is the mother of Chandra Nath Rath, who had been serving as the Personal Assistant to Deputy Chief Minister Shubendu Adhikari. Chandra Nath Rath was shot multiple times on the night of May 6 near Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in a critical condition but succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.
The murder of Chandra Nath Rath had sent shockwaves across West Bengal, with his association with one of the state's top leaders making it a high-profile case. Police have registered a case and begun investigations, though no major arrests have been publicly confirmed yet.
On the Raiganj side, Shashwat Sarkar has been chosen as the BJP's standard bearer. Raiganj, located in Uttar Dinajpur district, has historically been a competitive constituency and often witnesses intense electoral battles.
These bypolls follow the West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections held in April and May this year, during which the BJP emerged as the single largest party, securing 207 seats out of 294. However, the party did not win all seats, leaving some constituencies open for by-elections triggered by winners passing away or holding offices that require resignation from their legislative position.
Political observers say the BJP's decision to put up Hasirani Rath, a relative of the slain PA, from Nandigram is an emotional appeal aimed at mobilising sympathy votes alongside its core voter base in the Malda and Purba Medinipur regions.
