Kaliganj Bypoll in Bengal: Identity Politics and Murshidabad Riot Dominate Discourse

The upcoming bypoll in West Bengal’s Kaliganj Assembly constituency is drawing significant attention due to the recent communal unrest in Murshidabad, where three people were killed and many displaced. Scheduled for June 19, this election has taken on new political weight as it’s the first major poll in the state following India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack — Operation Sindoor — conducted on May 7.

Situated in Nadia district, Kaliganj is now the focal point of a triangular battle among the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress-Left alliance. The death of sitting TMC MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed earlier this year necessitated the bypoll. In a strategic move, the TMC has fielded his daughter, Alifa Ahmed — a 38-year-old BTech graduate and former corporate executive — as its candidate.

Alifa explained her decision to leave her successful career to enter public service. “After my father's passing, the responsibility of carrying forward his vision for Kaliganj fell on me. With Mamata Banerjee’s blessing and the people’s support, I’ve stepped into this role,” she said after filing her nomination.

The BJP, meanwhile, is leaning heavily into the nationalistic wave following Operation Sindoor. The military strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have been central to the BJP's campaign rhetoric, particularly in Kaliganj’s minority-dominated areas, as the party seeks to frame the vote around national security and decisive leadership.

At the same time, local anxieties around the recent Murshidabad riots — marked by communal tension, loss of life, and displacement — have brought identity politics to the forefront. The Congress-Left alliance hopes to capitalize on this discontent, pitching itself as a secular and stable alternative to both the ruling TMC and the aggressive nationalism of the BJP.

With polling set for June 19 and counting on June 23, the Kaliganj bypoll is shaping up to be more than just a local election. It has become a microcosm of broader themes playing out across Indian politics — identity, security, and legacy.