Mamata Banerjee Likely to File Nomination from Nandigram on March 11

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee likely to file her nomination for the Assembly Polls from Nandigram in East Midnapore on March 11.

Banerjee will file her nomination either from the Tamluk or Haldia administrative building for Nandigram.

On January 18, the chief minister played a masterstroke after she announced a contest from Nandigram as well as Bhowanipur seats in the upcoming assembly poll in 2021.

Then, addressing a huge public rally at Tekhali in Nandigram, Mamata, had said, “Nandigram is close to my heart. I can forget my name but I cannot forget Nandigram. Considering the emotional attachment I have with the people of Nandigram, today I am announcing that I wish to contest the upcoming poll from Nandigram.”

Also read: Why Mamata Banerjee’s Nandigram Move is a Strong Message for Her Detractors

“I would like to request my state president Subrata Bakshi to consider my name as the candidate from Nandigram in 2021 state polls. Nandigram is lucky for me. I will not neglect the Bhawanipur seat also. I promise to the people of Bhawanipur that I will give a good candidate there,” she had said.

However, later she clarified that she was eager to contest from Nandigram as well as from Bhowanipur seat. “I would like to contest from both the seats,” she announced.

Nandigram is considered as a strong bastion of rebel TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari (now in BJP) and Mamata’s announcement to contest from this region could be seen as her direct challenge to the Adhikari family.

Graffiti in support of Banerjee is already plastered across walls of Nandigram.

For a couple of years her relationship with Adhikar – who was once a close and trusted aid — turned sour over differences of opinion.

Recently, Adhikar challenged that BJP will defeat Mamata by 50,000 votes in Nandigram and if he fails then he will quit politics.

Banerjee demolished Left rule in Bengal while riding the Singur and Nandigram anti-land acquisition movements – which have left the ‘Left’ insignificant in state’s politics.

Now once again TMC’s well thought strategy to field Banerjee from Nandigram, considering the ‘dominant minorities’ in this region, was a well thought strategy by ‘Didi’ to hit the BJP where it will hurt the most.