BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is leading the Nandigram seat against TMC’s Pabitra Kar as the showdown in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections comes to a close.
By the end of 19 rounds of counting, Suvendu received more than 127,301 votes. TMC’s Pabitra Kar came second with 1,17,636 votes, while CPI’s Santhi Gopal Giri came third with 2,997 votes.
While Suvendu was leading comfortably throughout the day, the dynamics changed after 4pm as Pabitra made significant progress. However, Suvendu reversed the lead and after 19 rounds maintained a margin of 9,665 votes.
Nandigram remains a crucial political battleground, currently represented by two-time MLA Suvendu, who is also seen as one of the party’s key faces in West Bengal and a potential contender for the chief minister’s post.
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Adhikari maintained a strong grip on the constituency. In the 2021 Assembly elections, he received nearly 49% votes and significantly defeated Mamata Banerjee. In 2016, his vote share was even higher, reportedly at between 65% and 67%, confirming his dominance of the seat.
In a strategic move, the TMC has fielded Pabitra Kar against him this time. Kar, a former BJP member who was considered close to Adhikari, joined the TMC just hours before announcing his candidacy, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the contest.
The TMC’s potential loss in Nandigram will be a personal setback for party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who has been keeping a close eye on the seat. “Nandigram is my responsibility. You all bear responsibility for the next 25 days. For the next five years, I will be responsible for Nandigram,” he said while addressing a workers’ meeting in Nandigram on March 25.
Suvendu is also fighting from another seat in Bhabanipur, where he is challenging Bengal CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee. But in Bhabanipur, Suvendu is currently trailing by 7,184 votes. However, Suvendu is very confident that by the time all 20 rounds are counted in the counting halls of Bhabanipur, he will emerge as the winner. Meanwhile, Mamata alleged that the EC and BJP have started “looting” TMC votes by halting the counting process at various locations in Kolkata. She later visited some counting centers to ensure there was nothing wrong.
