Milan Pradhan

Nandigram and Rejinagar will vote on October 6, with results due on October 9, in the first electoral test for the BJP after its rise to power in West Bengal. While Nandigram carries major political symbolism, Rejinagar presents a more fragmented contest and a different challenge for the ruling party.

West Bengal's Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls have turned into closely watched multi-cornered contests, with Mamata Banerjee backing Congress in Nandigram, a Congress candidate facing arrest, a last-minute candidate U-turn in Rejinagar and rival Trinamool Congress factions entering the electoral battle.

Rittick Mondal is a journalist covering West Bengal politics and electoral developments. His reporting includes recent developments surrounding the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls.

Political tensions in West Bengal have intensified after the Election Commission froze the Trinamool Congress name and symbol amid an internal party dispute, while Mamata Banerjee has challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.

A tragic incident in Telangana has sparked anger among State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) employees after a 24-year-old woman bus conductor, Gundla Pravalika, died following an alleged attack by a passenger. The conductor, who was seriously injured after being pushed out of a moving bus during an argument over ticket change, succumbed to her injuries after nearly ten days of treatment.

Karnataka's latest bus fare hike has triggered a political controversy across the state, with opposition parties strongly criticising the Congress government over the increased financial burden on ordinary passengers. The revised fares for state-run transport corporations have come into effect from midnight on November 4, making bus journeys more expensive for thousands of daily commuters.