The announcement of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election dates has instantly turned Nandigram into a political pressure cooker. Even before the BJP or TMC have officially released their candidate lists, Nandigram is already witnessing a fierce war of optics, with BJP activists starting wall graffiti in support of Suvendu Adhikari immediately after the Election Commission’s announcement.

Soumitra De, BJP Mandal President, confirmed that the campaign began after receiving a ‘green signal’ from Adhikari. Suvendu himself has recently expressed his intent to contest from Nandigram, terming it his ‘bhadrasan’ (base) and emphasizing his responsibility to “watch over” the safety of women in the constituency.

The move has triggered a sharp backlash from the Trinamool Congress (TMC). TMC leader Sheikh Sufiyan, who served as Mamata Banerjee’s agent in the last assembly polls, mocked the BJP’s campaign, alleging that Adhikari failed to deliver on promises over the past five years. Sufiyan has issued a bold challenge, vowing to defeat Adhikari by a margin of 50,000 votes if he stands for election in Nandigram.

With voting in East Midnapore scheduled for April 23, the tension in this crucial constituency is already reaching a boiling point, setting the stage for yet another high-voltage political clash.