Nandakumar election results 2026: BJP's Khanra Nirmal wrests seat from TMC, defeats sitting MLA Sukumar De

BJP's Khanra Nirmal defeated Trinamool Congress' sitting MLA Sukumar De to win Nandakumar seat, as the saffron party created history by winning its maiden assemby elections in West Bengal, the counting for which was held on Monday.According to the Election Commission, Nirmal secured 131,476 votes. De, Nandakumar MLA since 2016, received 100,873 votes.De won the 2021 election with 108,181 votes (48% vote share), defeating BJP’s Nilanjan Adhikari’s 102,775 votes (45%), by a margin of 5,406 votes. Key issues in the constituency were irrigation and flood control along the Rupnarayan River for paddy and vegetable farming, road connectivity between Nandakumar CDB villages and Tamluk markets, and drinking water security. Demand for government health centres, schools and local jobs to curb migration is prominent in this rural belt. Sukumar De has held the seat for TMC since 2011 (three consecutive terms), overturning CPI(M)’s earlier dominance. Nandakumar falls under the Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency in Purba Medinipur district. Tamluk was won by BJP’s Abhijit Gangopadhyay in 2024 by 77,733 votes over TMC. The seat’s close 2021 fight and TMC Assembly vs BJP LS split highlights coastal Medinipur’s competitive politics.