Mamata announces she will fight Bengal polls from Nandigram, home turf of Suvendu

Biswabrata Goswami

Hummingbird News

NANDIGRAM, 18 JAN: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today announced that she would contest from Nandigram, a home turf of her former right hand man Suvendu Adhikari, who crossed over to the BJP last month,  in the upcoming assembly polls.

She expressed her desire and emotion to contest the assembly polls from Nandigram seat amidst the presence of thousands of Nandigram residents at a mass rally held here today.

Addressing the rally, Miss Banerjee said, “I want to request Subrata Bakshi (TMC general secretary), it is my wish, I will not neglect Bhabanipur, I will give potential candidate (for Bhabanipur), but I want my name in Nandigram too. Due to my love for Nandigram, I could not control my emotions”.

Bakshi, who was on the podium, swiftly accepted the request.

Miss Banerjee further said, “Nandigram is my lucky place. I started my election campaign from here during 2016 assembly polls and TMC won the polls. So, today, I am announcing my election campaign from here for 2021 assembly polls. I believe, we will win all the seats and we will win the polls.”

She said, “I won’t be able to give much time here (Nandigram) during polls, because I will have to fight from 294 assembly seats. You (Nandigram residents) will have to take responsibility to win the seat. After election, I will give much time and will meet your all demands”.

Later in her speech, she indicated that she may contest from two constituencies and said, “Bhabanipur is my big sister, Nandigram is my younger sister…I will fight from both if possible. In case I am unable to contest from Bhabanipur, someone potential candidate would contest”.

Nandigram was the scene of massive public protest against forcible land acquisition by the then Left Front fovernment for creation of a special economic zone.

The protracted and often bloody protests added to Miss Banerjee and her party’s political heft and catapulted the TMC to power in 2011, marking the end of the Left Front rule of 34 years.

Adhikari is considered the face of the movement in Nandigram.

After switching over to the BJP, Adhikari has often accused Miss Banerjee of having forgotten the people of the area who helped her gain power in the state.

Without taking Suvendu’s name, Miss Banerjee said she would never allow “a handful of people” to sell out Bengal to the BJP.

“Those who have left the party have my best wishes. Let them become president and vice president of the country. But don’t you dare to sell out Bengal to the BJP. As long as I am alive, I won’t allow them to sell out my state to the BJP,” she said.

The CM went on to take a dig at Adhikari, saying it was “good some people have left (TMC)”.

“Some are moving from here to there. They will be fought by our local leaders, don't worry, these guys were not there when the Trinamul Congress was formed. It is good some people have left,” Miss Banerjee said.

“There are three kinds of leaders—‘lobhi’ (greedy), ‘bhogi’ (hedonist) and the ‘tyagi’ (the one who renounces). The bhogis and lobhis might quit the party, but the tyagis never will. This party is like a mother to us and the tyagis will never ever quit the party,” she said adding that there are some who have loads of money, so to save that money; they have gone to the BJP.

She also alleged that BJP leaders from Delhi threatened them.

Miss Banerjee asserted the TMC will win a third straight term in office and the BJP will be decimated.

Miss Banerjee also hit out at the BJP, accusing it of luring her party men by promising to turn their black money into white. “Washing Powder Bhajapa (BJP) : TMC me kaala, BJP ka washing machine me shaada (black in Trinamul, white in BJP washing machine),” she remarked.

Miss Banerjee recalled the struggles she waged in Nandigram and Singur over forcible land acquisition by the Left Front government, and asserted the BJP was committing the same mistake by trying to undermine the farmers’ protest at Delhi’s borders.

“No one should undermine the farmers’ struggle. The BJP is trying to undermine it and will face the same consequences like the Left did because of Nandigram and Singur,” she said, and reaffirmed her opposition to the three farms laws.

“The CPI-M tried to snatch away the land of the farmers. The BJP is trying to snatch away the crops of the farmers,” she said.

Miss Banerjee said, “Nandigram showed the way, today farmers in Punjab are agitating (against the farm laws). We are with the farmers...BJP must withdraw the three farm laws.”

Meanwhile, TMC leaders in Nandigram who were seen jubilant after Miss Banerjee’s announcement said that this announcement will galvanise party workers in East and West Midnapore districts and adjoining areas who were feeling rudderless after Suvendu Adhikari quit the party.