West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK : June 23, 2025 —The decisive victory for the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Alifa Ahamed, daughter of the late MLA Nasiruddin Ahamed, surged ahead in the Kaliganj by‑poll, outpacing both BJP and Congress contenders. This result underscores TMC’s enduring influence across Nadia district and underscores shifting political dynamics in West Bengal.

The Kaliganj by‑election, held on June 19 after the passing of TMC MLA Nasiruddin Ahamed in February, marked notable firsts in electoral transparency. Voters were required to deposit mobile phones in jute bags before entering polling booths, while live webcasting and monitoring of polling vans and checkpoints were deployed—an election pilot that may expand statewide in 2026 .

The Election Commission further intensified its scrutiny by appointing secretary Sanjib Kumar Prasad to supervise booth-level security, surveillance, and protocol across 309 polling booths. Fourteen companies of central forces were deployed, and voting regulations limited booth entry to four voters at a time to prevent crowding .

TMC, however, raised concerns over the impartiality of these measures, accusing the EC of awarding the webcasting contract to a Gujarat-based firm under the BJP’s influence. The party alleged that the unconventional tender rendered local agency participation impossible, characterizing the move as a threat to democratic fairness .

Despite these tensions, the counting process began early today, demonstrating a robust administrative effort to uphold vote integrity and transparency.

According to initial Election Commission trends and PTI reports, Alifa Ahamed led the count from the outset. In the first round, she secured 4,545 votes, while Congress-backed CPI(M) candidate Kabil Uddin Shaikh trailed with 1,830 votes and BJP’s Ashis Ghosh stood third at 1,112 votes .

By the seventh round, her lead had strengthened to more than 19,000 votes, according to the live updates. Election Commission data and multiple media outlets show that after seven counting rounds, Alifa amassed approximately 32,308 votes, nearly doubling her nearest rival—an emphatic margin of victory.

Kaliganj’s by‑poll was widely viewed as a barometer ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections. TMC’s comprehensive win here boosts its morale and credibility, particularly in a legal and logistical climate scrutinized for fairness.

The achievement also represents a triumph of legacy and local connection. With TMC’s grip on Nadia reaffirmed through Alifa’s campaigning and her late father’s political influence, the party reinforces its emotional and historical foothold in rural constituencies .

Opposition parties—Congress and BJP—struggled to mount an effective challenge. The Congress-backed CPI(M) candidate came a distant second, while the BJP failed to break into the lead at any count, emphasizing ongoing regional resistance to national parties in some West Bengal seats .

The Kaliganj outcome mirrors trends seen in today’s by‑polls across India. While AAP leads in Punjab’s Ludhiana West and Congress appears to be regaining ground in Kerala’s Nilambur, West Bengal remains a bastion of TMC dominance .

Amid procedural scrutiny and opposition protests over polling contracts, TMC’s win adds a sharp contrast: strong organizational command and deep electorate trust. It emphasizes that even in an era of heightened oversight and national-level contestation, regional threads of loyalty and identity remain potent .

Moving forward, Kaliganj’s results will likely guide strategic deployment by all parties in the remaining interim polls and set the stage for 2026. For TMC, it’s a validation; for rivals, a wake‑up call on the limits of their influence in core West Bengal constituencies.

Today’s by‑election in Kaliganj doesn’t just mark a routine victory; it reaffirms TMC’s electoral mastery and community-based support. Alifa Ahamed’s strong lead emphasizes the party’s entrenched position in Nadia and signals forthcoming challenges for opposition in upcoming statewide contests.