Kolkata, 07 October (H.S.) : West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday expressed absolute confidence in a sweeping Bharatiya Janata Party victory in the assembly by-elections held across Nandigram and Rejinagar, projecting a historic margin in his former bastion and a decisive lead in the minority-dominated seat.

Addressing reporters after voter turnout crossed 70 percent in Nandigram, Adhikari remarked, I can sense the political pulse well before the results. He claimed that polling trends indicate the BJP has already crossed a lead of over 50,000 votes in Nandigram. Recalling his 2016 electoral triumph by an 82,000-vote margin, the Chief Minister asserted that the party's candidate would shatter all previous records as voters reiterate their faith in the governance model led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state administration.

Speaking late Tuesday evening, Adhikari extended his optimistic projections to Rejinagar in Murshidabad district, forecasting a victory margin between 25,000 and 30,000 votes for the BJP nominee. Given the significant minority demographic in Rejinagar, his projection drew widespread political attention.

Echoing the Chief Minister's optimism, West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya also asserted an emphatic win in both constituencies.

Speaking to media personnel in Jalpaiguri, Bhattacharya predicted that the party’s victory margin in Nandigram would exceed previous records fivefold. Commenting on Rejinagar, he stated that despite initial skepticism, developmental issues such as industrialization and employment generation have resonated strongly across communities, drawing substantial support from minority voters.

While opposition parties have alleged booth capturing and procedural irregularities during polling hours, the ruling BJP maintained that the electoral exercise concluded smoothly and peacefully. The outcome of both assembly by-elections will be officially declared when votes are counted on October 9.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh