Suvendu Adhikari tells Nandigram minority voters they will not be forced to chant Jai Shri Ram

News of the campaign

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has made a direct pitch to minority voters in Nandigram, telling them they will not be forced to chant "Jai Shri Ram" if they support the BJP in the upcoming byelection.

Addressing a rally at Birulia Bazar on Friday, Adhikari told the crowd they could choose to say "Bharat Mata ki Jai" instead of the BJP's traditional slogan. The area has a substantial Muslim population, a demographic that has historically voted against the BJP.

"Yes, we chant 'Jai Shree Ram', but we don't force you to do it," Adhikari said. "You can choose not to and just say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'."

The byelection, scheduled for 6 October, was triggered after Adhikari vacated the Nandigram seat to retain Bhabanipur, which he also won in the state elections earlier this year.

The battle for Nandigram

Nandigram Block 1 has a Muslim population of about 35% to 40%, while Block 2 has 12%. Winning over these voters represents a significant tactical shift for the BJP, which took power in West Bengal in May.

Adhikari urged the minority community to seize what he called an "auspicious day" to build a friendship with his government, arguing that the opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) has effectively ceased to exist. Following a split in the party, the Election Commission allotted different names and symbols to factions led by Mamata Banerjee and Arup Roy, leaving the traditional "twin flowers and grass" symbol off the ballot.

The TMC's candidate for the seat, Sanchita Dey Pradhan, has already withdrawn her nomination. Adhikari claimed she had "vanished" from the contest, leaving voters with few viable alternatives to the BJP.

A campaign marked by tragedy

Adhikari was campaigning for the BJP candidate, Hasirani Rath. She is the mother of Chandranath Rath, Adhikari’s former personal assistant who was shot dead on 6 May, a day after the assembly election results were declared.

Adhikari linked the murder directly to the political battle, alleging that Chandranath was targeted solely because of his association with him. He claimed that hitmen from Uttar Pradesh were hired for  2 crore to carry out the killing, and pointed towards leadership within the TMC's Diamond Harbour faction. The case is currently being investigated by the CBI, which Adhikari said has already completed "90 per cent" of its work.

"On October 6, there must be a democratic retaliation for the murder of Chandranath on EVMs," Adhikari told voters.

Development promises

Aside from security and identity, the Chief Minister focused on economic promises, pledging to create 100,000 jobs within a year and starting train services on the Nandigram-Deshapran-Bajkul route within months. He also promised to restore the Odisha Coast Canal to boost the local rural economy.

Counting for the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls will take place on 9 October.