BJP candidate Hasirani Rath edged out Congress's Milan Pradhan by 1,22,753 votes in Nandigram, while Shankharavh Sarkar defeated Aam Janata Unnayan Party’s Humayun Kabir by 75,748 votes in Rejinagar on May 28, 2023, marking the largest victory margins in West Bengal since 1967.
Samik Bhattacharya, the state BJP president, arrived first at the headquarters at 8 am, his tone exuding confidence. “The development led by the BJP government has made minorities start supporting us,” he said, echoing the party’s claim that it has broken the long‑standing minority vote‑bank logic in Bengal.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, addressing a crowd at the 9th MeDeVision National conference, asserted that “pro‑nationalist forces are leading in both seats.” He highlighted that a significant portion of the votes came from minority communities, arguing that they now trust the BJP’s inclusive policies.
Opposition parties slammed the results as a farce. Trinamool Congress called the elections a mockery of democracy, claiming voter rolls were falsified and that police intimidation prevented genuine voters from polling. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury echoed similar accusations, demanding a review of the electoral process.
The Election Commission is slated to issue a formal certification of the results by June 5. Once certified, the state assembly will convene to officially confirm the seats, setting the stage for the BJP to consolidate its political gains in West Bengal.