Forgotten Nandigram divided between Didi, Dada
Banerjee to contest from Nandigram against the backdrop of Suvendu quitting Trinamul
Nandigram 21:
(WB), Jan. Two large cut-outs of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her protegeturned-rival Suvendu Adhikari adorning opposite sides of the street in Tengua bazar of Nandigram sum up the prevailing political mood of the area which is hogging national limelight following the former’s announcement of her candidature from here.
The obscure Nandigram village that shook the base of mighty Left regime and became a bastion of the Trinamul Congress 14 years ago, now stands divided between its favourite “Didi and Dada” amid speculations of Banerjee taking on her trusted lieutenant in the anti-land acquisition movement, Suvendu Adhikari. Though, the BJP is yet to take a call on fielding Suvendu from Nandigram which he represented in the assembly before quitting after joining BJP, the dashing leader has expressed willingness to take on the challenge and defeat Banerjee in the polls.
Many locals in the cradle of change, Nandigram, were feeling ‘disenchanted and forgotten’ and yearning for another change till a few months back.
But, with the announcement of Banerjee’s candidature and Adhikari, a political heavyweight of the region, who had switched over to the BJP vowing to defeat her, has put the entire East Midnapore district, especially Nandigram,on edge.
“The people of Nandigram are not very happy with the TMC and also have grievances against Mamata di as she hardly visits Nandigram. Had there been any other candidate of the TMC, the defeat would have been imminent.”
But, there is a section of the people who have a soft corner for the TMC chief.
“We can’t forget the tough days of the movement when she and Suvendu da were our only saviours,” Anisur Mondal, a sharecropper who was part of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC), said.
Mondal’s views were echoed by local BJP leader Sabuj Pradhan, who agreed that Banerjee’s poll announcement is likely to change the social-political equations on the ground level. “Till last month the situation in Nandigram was not in favour of the TMC. It will be a divided house if both Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari contest from Nandigram assembly.
“If one of them pull out from the contest, the elections will swing easily the other way,” Pradhan, a former Congress leader and part of BUPC, who had recently joined the BJP, said.
Banerjee and Adhikari were heroes of the Nandigram movement.
The feisty Trinamul Congress boss was its guiding spirit, while Adhikari was her general on the ground, holding protests against the SEZ where Indonesia’s Salim group wanted to set up a chemical hub.
But, after Adhikari jumped the ship, several villages overnight switched sides, and the rival camps took over party offices.
Even as Gokulpur, Gokulnagar, Gopi-mohanpur, Adhikaripari, Heria have turned into strongholds of Adhikari, Sonachura, Haripur, Khejuri, Brindaban Chak, Daudpur, Tekhali remains bastion of the Trinamul Congress.
Sixty-year old Kanchan Mal of Gokulpur village, who was injured during the agitation and her house was set on fire, said despite the anger against the TMC, “both Mamata di and Suvendu babu are like son and daughter of Nandigram. It will be a tough choice for us.”