West Bengal elections: Nandigram back in spotlight as Suvendu Adhikari faces defector-turned-rival in high-stakes battle

Nandigram (Purba Medinipur): Nandigram constituency stands as a milestone of political change in Bengal which catapulted Mamata Banerjee to victory in 2011, ending the 34-year-old Left rule. And the person who worked with Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikari, in the land acquisition protest in 2007 which turned into a major fiasco, witnessed many deaths and violent confrontation, is today contesting from Nandigram against TMC candidate Pabitra Kar. Adhikari, sitting legislator and Leader of the Opposition, is fighting for a second term from Nandigram which has become a BJP stronghold. He is also contesting against CM Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur.

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There is an undercurrent of anti-incumbency, a strange silence, a feeling that there needs to be “change” in the state, and an irreversible faith in ‘Dada’ as Suvendu Adhikari is lovingly called. Adhikari has said time and again, “I will fight for Bhabanipur, where he is contesting against CM Mamata Banerjee. The people of Nandigram will give me victory.”

The constituency, which was a microcosm of “parivartan” in 2011, and a land that witnessed many political and bloody battles, is a peaceful hamlet, with bustling markets, concrete houses and waterbodies, where pisciculture is common.

A graduate teacher, Sutrishna Pramanik, from Krishnanagar area, told ET, “People are waiting for change. Development has not reached here and in our area, there are no proper schools. There is one school with one teacher and only 17 students. Education has been impacted here.”

“We need change for our state,” said a compounder from this constituency.
In 2021, Adhikari had defeated Mamata Banerjee from the same place, which was once their battleground for the farmers’ movement. Kar, who was a right-hand man of Suvendu Adhikari in BJP, joined Trinamool recently and got his candidature. People in Boyal-I, which is minority dominated, said Kar is a helpful person, who works for the people. But fighting the titan in his own constituency is difficult.

Trinamool Congress insiders said Suvendu Adhikari’s close aide and an ‘RSS person’ in the Trinamool Congress will make TMC face a greater defeat this time.

Tailor Sheikh Samuri, an ardent Trinamool worker, said, “I am Didi’s worker. She has done so much development for us and we will always vote for her candidate. But see, cases have been lodged by police against us in some old bomb cases.”

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Manik Giti, SC Morcha General Secretary of BJP (Mandal II) told ET, “Even after SIR deletion of 10,000 voter names, Adhikari will win with more than 30,000 seats. Kar was a BJP leader and known for his RSS background. The local TMC leaders are unhappy with the choice of candidate by the Trinamool and Muslims will not vote for him, but Adhikari.”

Kar, said, “False cases have been given against people. I felt disgusted with Adhikari’s false cases lodged against people and thus changed sides.”

Kar’s wife, who is panchayat head of Boyal I, said, “Kar is an honest man who has worked in the area and started his social work. Then, he won as an independent candidate and formed the Municipal Board. Much later, he joined Trinamool and then shifted to BJP. His differences with Adhikari, led to his second defection to Trinamool Congress.”