The Mamata All India Trinamool Congress on Tuesday targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s October 6 Nandigram by-election candidate Hasirani Rath over alleged discrepancies in her affidavit, saying it raises serious questions, while demanding the cancellation of her nomination.
In a post on X, the party’s information technology and social media wing said Rath’s affidavit says she is over 60 and claims she cleared her Class 10 in 1965. It added that the school she names received Class 10 approval in 1973. Hours later, Pradhan was arrested in a two-decade-old murder case related to the 2007 anti-land acquisition protests that had catapulted Banerjee into power with Adhikari as her key aide. By-polls will be held in Nandigram and Rejinagar on October 6. Results will be declared on October 9. Banerjee left her Bhabanipur seat in 2021 to contest against Adhikari after he defected to the BJP. Banerjee lost the seat by 1956 votes, but her decision to challenge the rising BJP from Adhikari’s turf galvanised her party and led to a landslide victory. In 2026, Adhikari defeated Banerjee in Babanipur.
The by-election in Nandigram was necessitated after Adhikari, who won two assembly seats in May, decided to retain Bhabanipur and vacated Nandigram. The by-polls are the first major electoral test after Banerjee lost power and later her party splintered “Her nomination should be cancelled for providing false information. The Mamata Banerjee-led faction candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, withdrew from the contest following a meeting with West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, prompting it to support the Congress candidate Milan Pradhan. “Let the ECI take the call.
BJP leader Sisir Bajoria said if there are any discrepancies, they should file a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
