Kolkata: On a day, the BJP finally decided to field him against Mamata Banerjee, her onetime lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari sought to remind the voters of Nandigram and other constituencies that it was the Chief Minister who had denied Durga puja and Saraswati Puja celebrations to Hindu devouts.
He also asserted, “I am Bhumi-putra (son of the soil) of Nandigram….and manoniya (respected leader Mamata) is a guest”.
“Do not you all remember that it was she who had prevented Goddess Durja immersion ? It was she who stopped Saraswati Puja in Uluberia….Mone achhey toh (Don’t you all remember)?,” said Adhikari, a renowned mass-level leader from Nandigram region.
“Please remember, April first (one) we should settle all scores,” he said amid rousing thunderous applause from the gathering.
Nandigram goes to the polls on the second phase of polling on April 1. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced her name for the high profile seat on Friday and a day later, the BJP in its first list of candidates said that their candidate in the constituency would be Suvendu Adhikari.
Fourteen people were killed in 2007 in clashes between protesters against an SEZ project in Nandigram, cleared by the erstwhile Left Front government.
Once Nandigram and Singur controversies made headlines embarrassing the Left Front, Mamata had crafted a well planned “Ma, Maati, Manush (Mother, Motherland and people)” campaign and could oust the CPI-M led communists coalition in 2011.
Suvendu’s lawmaker father, Sisir Adhikari, known from his influence in Nandigram and other pockets in East Midnapore District, has backed his son’s candidature from the constituency.
“If Mamata Banerjee contests from Nandigram and Suvendu is fielded (by BJP), Parinam Bhalo hobeh na – Poll outcome would not be favourable for Mamata”, said senior Adhikari.
Directing his ire against Mamata, Suvendu Adhikari further said, “Mamata is an outsider to Nandigram. She remembers this place every five years only before elections. Before arriving here, she has ensured security of three people”.
These people include – Syed Abdul Samat and Abu Thahir. “She thinks if such people are safe and well protected in Nandigram, then everyone will be safe,” he said mockingly.
Suvendu also mocked Mamata for deserting the Bhowanipore assembly segment in Kolkata and said previous polls have proved that she has lost ground there.
In fact, other BJP leaders have also taken this line and accused her of deserting the previous constituency.
Reacting to Mamata Banerjee’s announcement of contesting from Nandigram, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya tweeted: “Mamata Banerjee, by relinquishing her traditional seat of Bhowanipore, has already conceded defeat, even before the first vote has been cast. Bring it on. Bengal is ready for change!
Mamata is likely to station herself in Nandigram and is likely to file her nomination on March 10.
Trinamool MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy and Mamata’s trusted aide Dola Sen have been asked to camp there while several state ministers would also be campaigning for their leader.
Political observers say by pitching herself from Nandigram, a known forte of Sisir Adhikari and his son Suvendu, Mamata Banerjee has rather committed a major political blunder.
Mamata had announced on January 18 that she would contest from Nandigram. “It is like walking into a political trap set by BJP leaders and Suvendu Adhikari. Perhaps, she should have avoided a direct confrontation with Adhikaris when the bigger battle is to fight the BJP at the state level,” a key Trinamool leader told this journalist on the condition of anonymity.
Suvendu Adhikari also said once polling would be over on April 1, he would be free to campaign for the BJP in other parts of the state.
West Bengal goes to its high profile battle of ballots or EVMs in eight phases beginning March 27.
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