Mamata Banerjee vs Suvendu Adhikari In Nandigram Today: Know History, Significance And More About The Seat

Voting in 30 constituencies across four districts in West Bengal in the second phase of Assembly elections is underway. The spotlight is be on the prestigious seat of Nandigram where Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee is contesting against her former aide-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari who joined the BJP recently.

Image: PTI

A high voltage tussle is expected between TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee and her ex-confidante, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari exercised his right to vote during the second phase of West Bengal polling today. Suvendu Adhikari claimed that Mamata Banerjee is losing in Nandigram as people are voting for development in Bengal, Suvendu also said that after the election BJP will emerge victorious and the Queen will lose.

Why Nandigram seat is important in West Bengal Assembly Polls?

Nandigram is the cradle of the anti-land acquisition movement that catapulted Mamata Banerjee to power in 2011. Suvendu Adhikari won the Nandigram seat in the 2016 assembly election, while another TMC candidate emerged victorious from the constituency in 2011.

Both Banerjee and Adhikari were prominent figures of the anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram in 2007 that catapulted the firebrand TMC supremo to power in West Bengal in 2011 after ending the 34-year-long rule of the Left Front.

Nandigram, the little-known rural area, changed the political landscape of West Bengal after witnessing one of the bloodiest movements against the government's land acquisition for industrialisation.

After years of peace, Nandigram, with 70 percent Hindus and 30 percent Muslims, however, is now witnessing political and communal polarisation, with the latter firmly backing the TMC that had controlled the area for the last decade-and-a-half.

While Suvendu Adhikari after quitting TMC is fighting to retain his seat this time from BJP, Mamata Banerjee is contesting from Nandigram for the first time.

Adhikari, who had won the seat in 2016, quit the TMC and resigned from the MLA post in December 2020 to join the saffron party after having differences with the ruling party in the state.

Banerjee relinquished her traditional seat Bhowanipore this time to cross swords with once her own Adhikari. Her party colleague Sovandeb Chattopadhyay will be fighting from Bhawanipore seat now.

Elections to the 294-member assembly is being held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. Results will be declared on May 2 along with the three other poll-bound states – Assam, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu -- and the union territory of Puducherry.