Rejinagar Bypoll: TMC Candidate Withdraws, Then Retracts Within Two Hours

In a day of fast-moving political developments in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress candidate for the Rejinagar Assembly byelection, Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, announced his withdrawal from the contest on Saturday, September 19, 2026, only to retract his statement less than two hours later. Mr. Chowdhury said he would now contest the election on October 6 as per the wishes of party leader Mamata Banerjee.

The initial withdrawal came amid a series of political uncertainties in the State. On Friday, the Nandigram byelection nominee of Ms. Banerjee’s party, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, withdrew her candidature following a meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Hours after Ms. Banerjee announced electoral support to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, he was arrested in a 19-year-old case.

Speaking to media persons in Murshidabad, Mr. Chowdhury said it was becoming difficult for him to motivate grassroots workers who have been facing harassment regularly. He added that a new symbol allotted by the Election Commission would prove to be a challenge for the byelection.

The Election Commission has allotted the ‘footballer’ symbol to Ms. Banerjee’s faction of the Trinamool Congress and assigned it the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’. This followed the freezing of the symbol and name of the original All India Trinamool Congress, a move that has led to unexpected circumstances. The rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee has been awarded the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the symbol of ‘envelope’.

The Indian Secular Front (ISF) has been affected by the symbol reshuffle. The ISF was awarded the ‘envelope’ symbol in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly polls. Now that the rebel Trinamool Congress faction has been allotted that symbol, ISF candidates have been given the symbol of a cupboard.

Election symbols play a crucial role in Indian elections, particularly in rural areas where voters often identify candidates by the symbol rather than the candidate’s name or party. The Election Commission allots symbols to recognised political parties and regulates their use. When a party splits, the Commission decides which faction gets the original name and symbol based on majority and organisational strength. The ongoing dispute within the Trinamool Congress is a case in point, with both factions claiming to be the true inheritors of the party’s legacy.

Hours after his initial announcement, Mr. Chowdhury said he was asked by Ms. Banerjee not to withdraw from the contest. ‘I will be contesting the bypoll. We are in Didi’s party and we cannot do anything outside her wishes. So, following Didi’s instructions, I am retaining my candidature,’ he said.

The former MLA said he has been assured of security by the police after Ms. Banerjee intervened. ‘Even if only 10 workers stand by me, I will take them along and begin a door-to-door campaign,’ he said.

The political churn in West Bengal comes at a time when the State is witnessing a series of byelections following the Assembly polls. The Rejinagar and Nandigram byelections are scheduled for October 6, with counting of votes on October 9. The outcomes are expected to have implications for the balance of power in the State and could set the tone for future electoral battles.

While the immediate focus is on Mr. Chowdhury’s candidature, the larger story is one of shifting alliances, symbol disputes, and the pressures faced by candidates caught between party directives and ground realities. As campaigning gains momentum, all eyes will be on how the Election Commission’s decisions and the political manoeuvring shape the final outcome.