As the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) launches a full-fledged campaign in the Kaliganj assembly by-election of Nadia district, the opposition remains mired in indecision and internal strife. The by-election, necessitated by the death of sitting MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed, has seen the TMC quickly field his daughter, Alifa Ahmed, as their candidate. Alifa has already hit the campaign trail, capitalising on the early start while the opposition struggles to present a united front.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has yet to announce its candidate, maintaining an unusual silence. Meanwhile, the Left Front is embroiled in a deepening rift over who should represent them in the by-election. Both the CPI(M) and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)—long-time Left allies—have staked claims on the Kaliganj seat, with neither showing signs of backing down.
A key meeting of the state Left Front was held on Wednesday evening but ended without a resolution, despite nearly 90 minutes of discussion. Earlier in the day, the CPM’s state secretariat had formally expressed interest in fielding a candidate in Kaliganj—marking a shift in strategy, as the party has not contested this seat in recent years. The RSP, however, strongly countered this move, citing its own historical presence in the constituency, particularly in the 2011 election. They argue that the seat was only handed to Congress in 2016 and 2021 due to the then-active Left-Congress electoral alliance.
Adding to the complexity, the state Congress unit has also expressed its intention to contest the by-election. CPM state secretary Mohammad Salim publicly stated that his party wishes to contest the seat and that dialogue with Congress will follow once the Left Front arrives at an internal consensus.
Sources reveal that during Wednesday’s Left Front meeting, RSP leader Tapan Hore formally communicated the party’s firm stance in a letter to Left Front chairman Biman Basu. At the same time, several smaller Left Front allies suggested backing the Congress instead. They argued that since the Congress had fielded candidates in Kaliganj in both 2016 and 2021—with the Left Front’s support—it would make strategic sense to let Congress contest again to maintain alliance cohesion ahead of the 2026 state elections.
The electoral history of Kaliganj adds weight to the debate. In 2016, Congress candidate Hasanuzzaman Sheikh won the seat under the Left-Congress alliance but later defected to the TMC. Despite this setback, Congress contested the seat again in 2021, though their candidate secured only 12 percent of the votes and finished third. Nasiruddin Ahmed of the TMC won that election with around 53 percent of the vote, while the BJP emerged as the runner-up, trailing by approximately 46,000 votes.
Now, with Alifa actively campaigning and gaining early momentum, the opposition faces mounting pressure. The BJP’s silence and the Left Front’s unresolved infighting threaten to weaken their position further in what is shaping up to be a high-stakes by-election.
A fresh Left Front meeting has been scheduled in the coming days to attempt a resolution. As the political battleground intensifies, all eyes remain on Kaliganj—a constituency now at the heart of Bengal’s shifting political dynamics.
