Mamata says ‘outsider’ tag an insult to Nandigram
On the eve of filing her nomination from Nandigram, TMC chief says those calling her outsider ‘sold their souls to outsiders from Guj’
NANDIGRAM: Coming down hard on those calling her an outsider in Nandigram, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday for them people “coming from Gujarat” are insiders.
Addressing booth-level TMC workers a day ahead of filing her nomination for the seat, Banerjee said people who had “sold their souls to outsiders from Gujarat” are insulting the Nandigram movement by playing the communal card.
Banerjee is pitted against her former confidante Suvendu Adhikari, who joined the BJP some time ago, in the high-profile seat.
Without naming Adhikari even once, Banerjee said she made up her mind to contest either from the Singur or Nandigram — the two cradles of antiland acquisition movement— that catapulted her to power in 2011.
She said she decided to contest from Nandigram because of overwhelming response of the people.
“I have heard some people are calling me an outsider in Nandigram. I am amazed. I was born and brought up in the neighbouring Birbhum district, and the person who is calling me an outsider was also not born here. Today I have become an outsider, and those coming from Gujarat have become insiders in Bengal,” she said.
Adhikari has often called himself “bhoomiputra” (son of the soil) while seeking to get back at the TMC supremo who has been targeting the BJP with the “party of outsiders” barb.
The TMC turncoat had announced that if he is not able to defeat the TMC supremo by 50,000 votes, he will quit politics.
Accusing Adhikari of trying to incite communal passions, Banerjee said, “Those who have sold their souls to the outsiders are insulting the Nandigram land acquisition movement by playing the communal card.” “Some people are talking about 70:30 ratio (of Hindu- Muslim population). Those doing that are insulting the sacred Nandigram movement which people of both communities fought together. People of Nandigram will make BJP ‘April fool’ on April 1 when polling is held,” she asserted.
This is the first rally of Banerjee in Nandigram after TMC announced that she would contest the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 from the particular constituency. It may be noted that the Nandigram assembly segment will see the most fierce battle of the Bengal polls as Adhikari has been pitted against Banerjee.
It was also key to the march to power of Mamata Banerjee and her All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). A three-year violence resistance movement against the then Left Front government’s futile bid to acquire farmland for a chemical hub helped her come to power. The movement had begun in March 2007 when 14 farmers were gunned down by the state police.
Experts say Banerjee’s decision to contest from Nandigram may be part of a bigger strategy for south Bengal which will decide the outcome of the coming elections.
Though the BJP set a record in 2019 by winning seven of the eight Lok Sabha seats in the north Bengal region, the number of assembly segments in these eight seats is only 56, out of the state’s 294. And in 2019, in these 56, the BJP was ahead in 34. In the rest of the state, which accounts for 238 assembly seats, the BJP was ahead in only 87 in 2019. South Bengal alone accounts for 167, of which the BJP was ahead in only 48 constituencies in 2019. The AITC was ahead in 119.
Election analyst and Kolkatabased political science professor Udayan Bandopadhyay says Banerjee may have penned in Adhikari.
“Winning the Nandigram seat will be tough for Adhikari. He will be forced to spend most of his time in Nandigram and will not be able to work for the BJP in the other districts of south Bengal where his presence is needed,” said Bandopadhyay.
Meanwhile, Adhikari on Tuesday gave a clarion call to oust the TMC from power in Bengal as he led a ‘padayatra’ in Jhargram district.
Adhikari, sporting a saffron ‘tilak’ on his forehead, chanted ‘Hare Krishna Hare Hare, BJP Ghore Ghore’ (BJP in every household), as a battery of saffron party workers cheered for him.
Some of his supporters also raised the slogan ‘TMC sarkar aar nei darkar’ (we dont need the TMC government any longer), while holding high lotus symbol cutouts and saffron- coloured balloons.
The former state cabinet minister, while talking to reporters, said he will campaign for saffron camp candidates of Paschim Medinipur and Jangalmahal every other day.
Incidentally, Adhikari’s former mentor and TMC boss Mamata Banerjee held a public meeting in Nandigram during the day, as he canvassed for BJP candidates in Jhargram.