In 2007, Nandigram was the epicenter of farmers’ agitation that propelled West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to power. Fourteen years later, the same Nandigram is the arena for the biggest fight of this Assembly election — Banerjee is pitted against the force behind the agitation and one-time trusted-lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari, who is now with the BJP.
The Nandigram agitation changed the course of history in West Bengal, sowing the seeds of the end of Left rule in the state. The seemingly-invincible Left tripped on the land agitation that ended their 34-year rule in West Bengal. The constituency has since been a Trinamool stronghold. Adhikari, however, says it was his clout that kept Nandigram loyal to Trinamool.
This election will test whether the voters of Nandigram are loyal to the party or the Adhikari family that holds considerable political clout in the area. Most members of the Adhikari family, including Suvendu Adhikari’s father, have joined the BJP now.
As curtains came down on campaigning, the first woman chief minister of the state signed off the campaign with elan, standing up on the dais despite her leg injury during the national anthem. This came soon after she had proclaimed that she belonged to the ‘Shandilya gotra’. That Mamata chose to mention her temple trips and her gotra is seen by many as a response to certain ‘polarising’ statements by Adhikari in the constituency that is estimated to have around 30% Muslim population.
Addressing a public meeting in Khejuri’s Henria on January 19 Adhikari said, “People have seen who attended Mamata Banerjee’s meeting in Nandigram. I consider that meeting as a party meeting by Hyderabad’s Asaduddin Owaisi…With whose support will you contest from Nandigram? Are you fighting with the hope of 62,000 votes? Know that the lotus will win because of 2.13 lakh votes. Who are the 2.13 lakh, those who chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’?”
This was not all, he made it a point to talk about so-called “Muslim support” for Mamata, calling her ‘puhpu’ and ‘khala’ (both terms used for aunts by Muslims). “Nowadays she has stopped saying ‘inshallah’ and ‘khuda haafiz’ [Urdu phrases commonly used by Muslims] as the elections are approaching,” he said at one rally.
Banerjee, who spent the last few days of campaign doing roadshows — from a wheelchair — in the constituency, did not let go of a single opportunity to attack Adhikari, calling him traitor, ‘gaddar’ and ‘cheat’.
She also called herself a donkey for not ‘recognising’ Adhikari, “I say I am a ‘big donkey’ (Ami ekta boro gadha) for having failed to recognise them. I don’t know (about it), but people say their ’empire’ is worth Rs 5,000 crore and they will use money to buy votes. But don’t vote for them.”
Suvendu Adhikari, though prepared for a big fight after joining BJP, may not have expected didi to bring her battle to his bastion, giving up her ‘safe’ Bhabanipur seat. Mamata’s announcement made sure that he was tied down to his constituency and could not campaign much outside of it. Many BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, held rallies and roadshows in Nandigram for the do-or-die battle.
From 1967 to 2006, Nandigram had more often than not elected a Communist candidate to represent the constituency with a couple of terms going to the Congress. But, since 2009 it has been Trinamool all the way — first Firoja Bibi represented the seat for two terms and then Suvendu Adhikari in 2016
Phase 2 of the eight-phase polling in West Bengal will be held on April 1 in 30 constituencies, including Nandigram. In the first phase on March 27, West Bengal saw an 84.3% voter turnout. Polling for the rest of the seven phases will be held from April 6 to April 29. Votes will be counted on May 2.
