Bengal polls: LoP Suvendu Adhikari files nomination from Nandigram
Kolkata, March 30
Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Monday filed his nomination as the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from the Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district of West Bengal.
Adhikari is a two-time legislator from Nandigram, first representing the Trinamool Congress from 2016 to 2021 and then the BJP from 2021 onwards. Nandigram will go to the polls in the first phase of the two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal on April 23.
This time, Adhikari is also contesting from the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in south Kolkata, where he is pitted against Trinamool Congress candidate and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Bhabanipur will go to the polls in the second phase on April 29.
Adhikari, accompanied by former BJP national vice-president and former state party president Dilip Ghosh and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, arrived at the office of the Sub-Divisional Officer in Haldia on Monday afternoon to submit his nomination, leading a grand procession.
Thereafter, he submitted his nomination.
Along with Adhikari, two other BJP candidates from East Midnapore district -- Subhash Panja from the Mahishadal Assembly constituency and Pradip Kumar Bijli from the Haldia Assembly constituency -- also submitted their nominations.
Adhikari was elected from Nandigram in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, defeating the then Trinamool Congress candidate and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by a margin of less than 2,000 votes.
Later, CM Mamata Banerjee was elected from Bhabanipur in a by-election, retaining her position as Chief Minister for a third consecutive term.
This will be the second time that the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition will be engaged in a direct contest.
In Nandigram, the Trinamool Congress has fielded Pabitra Kar, an erstwhile close confidant of Adhikari. Notably, Kar joined the Trinamool Congress just hours before the party announced its candidate list.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, the constant party-hopping by leaders is disappointing. First TMC, then BJP... and now TMC fields his old friend against him! 🤦♀️ It feels like musical chairs for politicians while we, the common people, just want stable governance and development.
The direct contest between Didi and Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur is the main event! Nandigram will be tough, but Bhabanipur is her fortress. Filing from two seats shows BJP's strategy to keep her on her toes. High-stakes politics in Bengal!
As an observer, the narrative is fascinating. Pabitra Kar, a close confidant, now standing against Adhikari for TMC hours after joining... it's like a political thriller! This personal dimension will definitely influence voter sentiment in Nandigram.
The 2021 victory margin was less than 2000 votes. This shows how divided Nandigram is. With Kar now in the fray, the anti-Adhikari vote might not split. It will all come down to ground work in the next few weeks. May the best candidate win! 🙏
Beyond the personalities, I hope the focus remains on issues - jobs, infrastructure, women's safety, and price rise. Nandigram has seen a lot of political turmoil over the years. The people deserve a representative who will work for peace and progress.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.