West Bengal bypoll results: In a closely watched three-cornered contest, Alifa Ahmed of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) emerged victorious in the Kaliganj assembly bypoll held in West Bengal’s Nadia district. She won by a commanding margin of 50,049 votes, securing 1,02,759 votes, while her nearest rival, Ashish Ghosh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), managed 52,710 votes.
The Congress, backed by the CPI(M) in this election, fielded Kabil Uddin Shaikh, who finished third with 28,348 votes, underlining the continuing decline of the grand old party in the state.
Mamata Banerjee congratulates TMC workers and leaders
"People of all religions, castes, races and walks of life in the area have blessed us immensely by exercising their right to vote in the by-elections to the Kaliganj Assembly constituency. I humbly express my gratitude to them. The main architects of this victory are mother, soil, and people. My colleagues from Kaliganj have worked tirelessly for this. I also extend my heartfelt congratulations to them," Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee shared in a post on X.
"My greetings and salutations to everyone. Remembering the late MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed, I dedicate this victory to the motherland and people of Bengal," she added.
Bypoll necessitated by MLA’s Death
The by-election was necessitated following the sudden demise of sitting TMC MLA Nasiruddin Ahamed in February 2024. The party chose to field his daughter, Alifa Ahmed, a move that helped consolidate sympathy votes alongside traditional TMC support.
Polling in Kaliganj took place last Thursday, witnessing a 69.85 per cent turnout by 5 PM, according to the Election Commission. The voting process remained largely peaceful, barring a few isolated incidents.
Counting began at 8 AM on Monday, progressing over 19 rounds before the final results were declared.
Opposition struggles to make dent
While the BJP finished second, the party lagged significantly behind in vote share, suggesting limited inroads into TMC’s stronghold in rural Nadia. The Congress’ performance remained modest, despite backing from the CPI(M), indicating a continued erosion of the Left-Congress alliance in the region.
TMC strengthens grip ahead of 2026 Assembly polls
With this decisive win, the TMC reinforces its dominance in Bengal politics and adds momentum ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Alifa Ahmed’s victory also symbolises the party’s strategy of promoting younger leadership from within political families to maintain continuity and voter trust.
