West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari decides to keep the Bhabanipur Assembly seat while vacating Nandigram after winning both constituencies in the recent state elections. Sources report that Adhikari, who contested again against TMC leader Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur, takes his oath as an MLA from Bhabanipur and says he cannot hold two legislative seats at the same time. He therefore plans to give up the Nandigram seat, which will require the election of a new MLA through a bypoll.
Multiple outlets also note that Adhikari defeats Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur by a margin of 15,105 votes. In explaining his decision, Adhikari says he wants Nandigram residents to feel his absence as little as possible and that he will continue to work to fulfil development promises made to people there. One outlet further adds that he references his prior involvement in the Nandigram period when a TMC MLA held the seat, describing a supportive role during that time.
