TMC fields Ex-BJP leader Pabitra Kar against Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram

The Trinamool Congress has fielded former BJP leader Pabitra Kar against Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari from the high-profile Nandigram constituency, confirming a significant political contest in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly Election 2026. The move sets up a direct fight between Adhikari and his former associate in one of the state’s most symbolically important seats.

Kar, a former panchayat pradhan from Boyal-1 gram panchayat in Nandigram-2 block, recently rejoined the Trinamool Congress in the presence of party leader Abhishek Banerjee. His return to the ruling party came just ahead of the candidate announcement, signalling a strategic shift aimed at consolidating local organisational strength in the constituency.

Having quit the Trinamool in 2020 to join the BJP, Kar was considered close to Adhikari and played a role in strengthening the party’s base in parts of Nandigram during the 2021 elections. That year, Adhikari had defeated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a closely fought contest, making the constituency a key political battleground in Bengal politics.

With this candidate selection, the Trinamool appears to be leveraging Kar’s local influence and past association with Adhikari to mount a strong challenge in Nandigram, even as the larger electoral narrative also features a separate high-stakes contest between Mamata Banerjee and Adhikari from Bhabanipur.