00:00It is a historic seat that we are speaking of, especially when we speak of the Chief Minister himself right
00:05now, Shruvindu Adhikari.
00:06Nandi Graham has witnessed a bi-poll yet again, and alongside, it's also Reji Nagar that's witnessed a bi-poll,
00:15whose results we will be seeing as the counting has begun for both the seats.
00:21A crucial bi-poll result that could test whether the BJP can retain its hold on its high-profile seat,
00:27and where Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, backed by the Mamata Banerjee camp, is up against BJP's Hashirani Roth.
00:34Polling recorded a strong 80.89% turnout in Nandi Graham, but this election has not been without its own
00:40set of controversies.
00:41There have been arrests, there have been legal allegations that have come up against the candidates itself.
00:47Security has been a big issue during the entire nomination phase.
00:51So, Congress has alleged botchiori at the same time, and irregularities, demanding a re-poll,
00:57which they did for the entirety of the state, but even for the bi-polls, and questioned the conduct of
01:01the polling process.
01:02And even as the allegations fly, the BJP remains firm on its stance, rejecting all of their charges.
01:08So, what's it going to be? That's something we'll again take a look at.
01:11But right now, take a look at some of the reactions that have first come in.
01:15My name is Zatia Hill, and I am going to say I am going to say I will be the
01:23first call of the provincial government.
01:24My name is Zatia Hill.
01:26I am going to say something to my own name, because I am going to say I am going to
01:32be the first call,
01:33and I am going to give to some people to pay attention to my own name.
02:11This is a proposal.
02:12You can see what is happening in the country.
02:14The BJP has come.
02:16That's why the BJP has caused this loot.
02:22This loot, this procession,
02:26that's why the BJP has come.
02:34Indrajeet Kundu joining us on the broadcast
02:36with all of the latest developments coming in
02:39as the counting process has just begun.
02:40Indrajeet, a very good morning to you.
02:43Firstly, do help us understand
02:44where exactly is it that you're joining us from
02:46and also, we're speaking of two seats,
02:49one of which is a historic seat when we speak of Shubhendu Adhikari.
02:55And he himself has won that seat
02:57and which is why the entire bi-poll yet again.
03:00He's won that seat twice in a row.
03:022021, 2026.
03:04And people have their faith.
03:06He has a certain sentimental connect
03:08with the people of Nandigram when we speak.
03:11And that's been so with his family in itself in Nandigram.
03:17What's it like in October 2026?
03:21Does that faith still continue to remain
03:24or do people have questions at this given point,
03:27especially with all of the controversies
03:28that have come up with regards to this regime
03:31and the minorities in the very state?
03:39Well, Sriya, very good morning to you.
03:40Of course, we are coming to you live from East Midnapur District.
03:43This is, of course, known as the stronghold of West Bengal Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari.
03:48And the question that you asked, we'll have to wait for a few more hours
03:51for the answer to come out.
03:53Whether the people of Nandigram will once again vote for the BJP
03:57because it is considered to be Shubhendu Adhikari's stronghold.
04:01He won it just five months back in the Vidansaba elections,
04:05the highly contested Vidansaba elections.
04:07He won both Nandigram and Bhavanipur,
04:10following which he retained the Bhavanipur seat
04:12where he defeated Mahmata Banuji.
04:14And therefore, he relinquished the Nandigram seat,
04:17thus the necessity of a bi-poll in Nandigram.
04:20But given that it is a stronghold,
04:22you know, the advantage clearly lies with the BJP,
04:26with Shubhendu Adhikari's party at this point in time.
04:30It's a very interesting contest
04:31because the main opposition here is not Mahmata Banuji's Trinamol Congress.
04:35It is the Congress.
04:36Because the Trinamol, Mahmata Banuji, Trinamol Congress candidate
04:40had, you know, had quit the race a few days back,
04:46just before the elections.
04:47And then Mahmata Banuji was literally forced to support
04:51the Congress candidate, Milan Pradhan,
04:53who had his share of controversy because he was arrested
04:55on the eve of the elections.
04:57And then finally, he was out on bail.
04:59He got two days to campaign.
05:00So all eyes on the Nandigram seat.
05:03Also a hotly contested seat will be Reggie Nagar in Murshidabad.
05:08That too, not without its share of controversies
05:10because AJUP leader Humayun Kabir,
05:13who shot into prominence and limelight
05:15before the West Bengal assembly elections five months back,
05:18when he said, when he announced that he will build the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad.
05:24Now, he is the one who actually won the seat in the Vedansava elections,
05:28but he also won from Nauda.
05:30So he relinquished the Reggie Nagar seat and his son is contesting.
05:33But it is also a hotly contested seat because on one hand,
05:37you have the Trinamol Congress candidate there.
05:39On the other hand, you have the rebel faction of the Trinamol Congress,
05:42the Democratic Trinamol Congress, the ISF, the left, the Congress,
05:46all vying for the Muslim vote because it's a Muslim majority seat.
05:49And on the other hand, you have Shaukarav Sarkar contesting from the BJP.
05:53So it would be very interesting.
05:54Also, one aspect which everybody would be looking forward to in these bi-poles, Shriya,
05:59in Bengal, of course, would be what is the kind of vote share,
06:03what is the result that the rebel faction of the Trinamol Congress,
06:06that is the Democratic Trinamol Congress led by leader of the opposition, Ritab Ritab Banerjee,
06:11how well do they perform?
06:13Because that will also be a test, a marker for who actually can stake claim
06:20to be the real Trinamol Congress in the psyche of the voters in Bengal.
06:25So very, very crucial bi-poles, two seats, merely two seats though,
06:29but it will set the tone for the politics of the state in the days to come.
06:35Shriya, back to you.
06:36Absolutely, Indrajit.
06:37One crucial aspect that remains here is, of course, Shruvindu Odhikari himself
06:42has won a Nondigram, being both a part of the TMC in 2021,
06:47and then in 2026, it's the BJP.
06:50But this time, the BJP has had to field a different candidate.
06:53So, while this is Shruvindu Odhikari's bastion, this is a stronghold for him,
06:58whether people shared the same sentiment with this other candidate or not,
07:02that's something we'll wait and watch, of course.
07:04And those, of course, questions will have clear answers as the day progresses.
07:09Indrajit, thank you for putting things into perspective.
07:12At this early hour, we'll keep coming back to you for more updates as to how the numbers look.
07:17But right now, viewers, why is it that Nondigram, the bipolar in Nondigram matters so much?
07:24What is in it for each of the sides?
07:26It's a three-way contest that we're speaking of.
07:28So, let's look at the BJP first.
07:30The BJP's first litmus test.
07:31It's an electoral test after the 2026 win to see whether people are agreeing with their governance,
07:39whether people are satisfied with what they have to offer,
07:42whether they have been able to get people on board to continue having their faith on them
07:50with regards to what they had promised in the manifesto and what is being implemented on the ground in the
07:56first few months of their governance in West Bengal.
07:59Truvendu's minority outreach also faces a voter test.
08:03And a victory could, of course, be boosting BJP's Bengal momentum in the first place.
08:07If we look at Mamata Banerjee's TMC, it's a new symbol, it's a new party name for her.
08:13It's almost like a new identity for the Thrinomul Congress led by Mamata Banerjee.
08:19That faction in itself has undergone a change after decades of her finding the party in the first place back
08:26in the 1990s.
08:27It's a split TMC that's facing the first electoral test with Mamata Camp testing its grassroots strength.
08:33Congress-TMC tactical tie-up faces the voter test.
08:37Almost takes us to the pre-2011 era when TMC and Congress actually used to be allies.
08:42And the other faction of the TMC that's come out, branched out after the elections were lost by the TMC
08:49in the United Front,
08:50which is Rito Broto led, the LOP in the Bengal Assembly right now.
08:56He has come out to form a different faction under his leadership, first electoral test for them as well after
09:01the split.
09:02And they claim the TMC's political inheritance an opportunity for them as well to emerge as the third front in
09:10West Bengal.
09:11Because in West Bengal it's been a two-way contest for far too long at this given point.
09:17So whether there's a third front and whether there's a chance for a third front, that's something that we will
09:22get to understand from the vote share that they garner in the results.
