Irked by Suvendu's exit, Mamata to contest from Nandigram

Irked by Suvendu's exit, Mamata to contest from Nandigram Nirendra Dev Nandigram/New Delhi: Pushed to the corner after desertion by 'son of the soil' Suvendu Adhikari, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday, Jan 18, made the big announcement that she would contest the forthcoming assembly polls from Nanigram. "Nandigram is lucky for me...," she said at a party rally days after Suvendu Adhikari, a former Minister and prominent local face in Nandigram, quit her outfit and joined the resurgent BJP. "Ami Nandigram theke daraley kemon hoe (How will you respond if I contest from Nandigram ?)," she said. Fourteen people were killed in 2007 in clashes between protesters against an SEZ project in Nandigram, cleared by the erstwhile Left Front government. Ms Banerjee subsequently crafted a well planned "Ma, Maati, Manush" (Mother, Motherland and people) campaign around that incident and could oust the CPI-M led communist coalition in 2011. Mamata's announcement is being billed as a 'gamechanger' but the BJP, the Congress and the CPI-M have termed her announcement as a move to flee Bhawanipore, the seat she represented earlier. "Bhawanipore is my elder sister, Nandigram is also my sister. I will contest from both the constituencies as my movement started from Nandigram itself," said the Chief Minister, who is facing the onslaught of the BJP that has enhanced his vote share to 40 per cent just three per cent less than Trinamool Congress in 2019. However, she said at Bhawanipore, her party will field a good candidate indicating that she may not contest from there. Congress floor leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Mamata's move is admission of her losing ground in Kolkata and in her original constituency of Bhawanipore. Bhawanipore is a typical urban constituency and Trinamool Congress has lately lost ground in the state and more in urban pockets. "We will spring a big surprise in Bhawanipore," a local BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya said. Congress leader Abdul Mannan and CPI-M leader Sujan Chakraborty said Mamata's decision reflect her 'nervousness' at Bhawanipore. BJP leader Sovan Chatterjee, also a turncoat from Mamata'a own party, said her move only shows that she has lost ground at Bhawanipore and in Kolkata. "This is the beginning of defeat," he said. Of course, Chief Minister's move will be a direct challenge to Suvendu Adhikari, who has reportedly promised perhaps at least 30 seats from the region to the saffron party's kitty. Suvendu's exit from Trinamool show an exodus of Trinamool leaders to the BJP and the development has certainly left the Trinamool camp leaking its wounds. Suvendu Adhikari is son of former Union Minister Sisir Adhikari, who is also a sitting lawmaker in the Lower House of Parliament. Suvendu’s brother Dibyendu (43) is also an elected MP representing Tamluk constituency and Adhikaris wield enough influence across the region. ends