Nandigram: His name doesn’t feature on EVMs, and yet, all political narrative around the Nandigram bypolls is centred around one man: Suvendu Adhikari.For nearly two decades, the agrarian battleground in East Midnapore has been inseparable from Adhikari’s political identity. Yet, this bypoll is a lot more than mere defence of home turf.For Adhikari, who vacated the seat after winning Bhabanipur, this campaign is an ambitious experiment – a movement from consolidation of ‘Sanatani’ votes to the establishment of a “sabka CM” image.Walk through the arterial stretches connecting Reyapara to Nandigram town, Sonachura, Haripur, and Tengua, and the CM’s presence is ubiquitous. He gazes down from posters lining every crossing, but more importantly, he remains the primary subject of chatter near Bhangabera bridge, inside the temple complex at Basuli, and through the busy alleys of Tengua bazaar.The chatter also centres around Nandigram’s 72,000 Muslim voters — roughly 23% of the electorate. The ‘Jai Shri Ram’ flags that fluttered across every major junction five months ago have been replaced by BJP flags. The party’s local rhetoric now emphasises tangible infrastructure — new rail links and improved bridges — rather than religious consolidation.Extending an olive branch to the minority population, Adhikari aims to fracture the traditional opposition bloc, encouraging either neutral turnout or passive alignment.Addressing rallies in Muslim-dominated pockets like Birulia, the CM reassured voters that while his party chants ‘Jai Shri Ram’, no one will be forced to join in, suggesting they could choose to say Bharat Mata ki Jai instead.“From my experience in the last three elections, I can say that we did not get even 1% of minority vote in any booth,” Adhikari admitted during his campaign. “But this time, they themselves have allowed us to campaign in minority booths… I feel that the people of Nandigram will vote unitedly and stay with the state govt,” Adhikari had said on the final day of campaigning.“Mamata Trinamool may not have a candidate here. But TMC commanded at least 47-48% of votes in each election. How many of these voters will switch sides – or not vote at all – will leave a mark on the margin,” said a BJP insider.On the ground, responses remain sharply divided. At Usman Chowk, Sk Tariq Anwar, a self-confessed Trinamool supporter, said, “CM Suvendu Adhikari is talking of friendship with us. We wish to end our anxieties, once and for all. A free and fair election will go a long way in cementing this bond,” Anwar noted.Just a few kilometres away in Samsabad, fear overrides optimism. Of 1,200 registered voters, more than 160 have found their names deleted in SIR. “If the election is not significant, why the hurry to hold it?” asked Mansura Biwi, referencing recent legal battles in Supreme Court.While BJP works to strengthen its grip, the opposition is facing an uphill task.With her candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrawing her nomination, former CM Mamata Banerjee threw her weight behind Congress’s Milan Pradhan. Almost immediately, the latter was arrested in connection with a 19-year-old case. After a legal battle, Pradhan eventually came out to campaign.CPI candidate Shantigopal Giri required hospitalisation after suffering head injuries during an assault in Daudpur. While Giri blamed BJP workers, a counter-FIR was promptly registered against him, and Rath dismissed his allegations.While Nandigram is going to be a battle of existence for the opposition, for CM Adhikari, the election is an opportunity to prove that his personal political brand can transcend ideological lines.
