Haldia/Berhampore: BJP on Tuesday nominated 70-year-old Hansirani Rath, mother of Suvendu Adhikari’s slain aide Chandranath Rath, as its candidate for the bypoll in the Nandigram assembly constituency, with the chief minister accusing “Bhaipo gang” of funding her son’s murder.BJP whole-timer Sakharav Sarkar will contest from Rejinagar. Both bypolls are scheduled for Oct 6.Speaking to reporters in Haldia, the CM said, “Seven people have been arrested for Chandranath’s murder, including the shooters and those who hired them… Rs 2 crore was spent to kill him. The Bhaipo gang handled the transfer of money.” Though Adhikari did not name Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the term “Bhaipo (nephew)” is commonly used to refer to him.The CM said he had heard phone conversations of some people from Diamond Harbour who had delivered money to Rath’s assailants. “CBI is handling the case. They have arrested seven people and filed a charge sheet. I believe they will be hanged,” he said.Abhishek, nephew of former CM Mamata Banerjee, represents Diamond Harbour in Lok Sabha.Rath was killed in Madhyamgram on May 6, two days after the Bengal assembly election results were announced and three days before Adhikari was sworn in as CM.With Hansirani by his side, Rath’s murder seemed to weigh heavily on Adhikari’s mind. “Look at the way he was murdered. His biggest crime was helping the leader of opposition (Adhikari),” he said.In what was interpreted as a message to Muslim voters (Muslims constitute the majority in Nandigram Block-1 and Rejinagar), the CM said at a rally in Haldia, “Many people, especially Muslims, do not vote for me or BJP. My appeal to the residents of Rejinagar and Nandigram: an opportunity has come for you to decide whether to stand by the govt and the CM or not.”Oct 6, Adhikari said, will be a test for the people of the two constituencies. “You have to decide whether you will side with development and security or align with the politics of violence,” he said.Adhikari asserted that he knew how to conduct an election. “People raised concerns after I gave up the Nandigram seat, but I have never made residents of the constituency feel deserted. The services you received after I defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram (in 2021) will continue. You made me win the seat by more than 10,000 votes in 2026… I know how to conduct an election. We will win the poll by an unimaginable margin,” he said.Adhikari won from both Nandigram and Bhowanipore in this year’s assembly polls. He retained Bhowanipore, where he defeated Mamata.The reference to the “Bhaipo gang” prompted Trinamool to hit back. “The CM is also home minister. He commands police and has central agencies at his disposal. If he has so much information, why isn’t he taking action?” Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh asked.Hansirani told reporters, “All promises will be kept. I spoke with the CM… We are aiming to win by 1.1 lakh votesSakharav Sarkar, BJP’s Rejinagar candidate, said, “We have one-point agenda: development. Rejinagar residents have given opportunities to Left, Congress, Trinamool and AUJP. Yet, there is not a single college, no bridge over Bhagirathi river, and the promised industrial park has not materialised in two decades.”The Rejinagar bypoll comes amid a controversy triggered by a telephonic conversationreleased by police revealing an attempt to foment trouble ahead of the election. Sarafraj Nawaj Chowdhury, alias Kajal Chowdhury, was arrested. AUJP president Humayun Kabir, whose son Golam Nabi Azad is a candidate in Rejinagar, admitted that the other voice in the recorded conversation was his. “I have offered to help police in the probe. I have known Kajal for 15 years. He had called me, but I did not agree to anything he said,” Kabir said.
