Suvendu Adhikari to Retain Bhabanipur Seat, Vacate Nandigram

Kolkata, May 13, 2026: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday announced that he will retain the Bhabanipur Assembly seat and vacate Nandigram, paving the way for a bypoll in the politically significant constituency.

Adhikari, who won both Bhabanipur and Nandigram in the recently concluded Assembly elections, took oath as an MLA from Bhabanipur in the state Assembly earlier in the day. Addressing reporters at the Assembly premises, he assured the people of Nandigram that his absence as MLA would not affect development work in the constituency.

“Someone else will be elected as MLA from Nandigram. But I will not let the people there feel my absence during the next five years,” Adhikari said. He added that he would personally ensure the fulfilment of all promises made to the people of Nandigram alongside development initiatives across the state.

Recalling his earlier association with the constituency, Adhikari referred to the 2009–2016 tenure of former TMC MLA Phiroja Bibi, stating that he had extended full support to her despite not officially representing the seat at that time. “I will play a similar role this time as well,” he remarked.

In the Assembly polls, Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by 15,105 votes, while retaining Nandigram with a margin of 9,665 votes against TMC candidate Pabitra Kar.

Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for austerity amid the West Asia crisis, Adhikari also announced a reduction in vehicles in his official convoy to conserve fuel and cut unnecessary expenditure.