Pabitra Kar, a prominent leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), is trailing behind Suvendu Adhikari in the high-stakes 2026 Assembly elections from Nandigram.
After 17 rounds of counting, Kar is behind Adhikari by over 6,000 votes, with 112,642 votes compared to the latter's 118,947 votes.
Kar, a grassroots leader who rose through local governance structures in Purba Medinipur district, has a strong local base in Nandigram-II block.
He was once associated with the TMC but defected to the BJP in November 2020, serving as the Vice-President of the party's Tamluk organisational district.
However, he returned to the TMC in 2026, marking another significant political shift in the run-up to the Assembly polls.
Nandigram, located in Purba Medinipur district, is one of the most politically sensitive constituencies in West Bengal, with a predominantly rural electorate and politics often shaped by agrarian concerns, local governance issues, and party organisation at the booth level.
