Mamata’s real and symbolic fight with Ex-Aide Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram

There are less good strategists than BJP. It just opened its new card for Bengal. It has pitched Suvendu Adhikari, Mamata’s ex-aide who left her for BJP, against her in Nandigram.

Nandigram, hence, now becomes the hot-bed for the most interesting election for west Bengal when two-time Chief Minister battles now her rival who once catapulted her to victory, working hard from 2007 to 2011.

The ex-environment and transport minister was a Trinamool MLA from Nandigram since 2016. He had quit in December over a dispute and joined BJP. He was widely seen as the BJP's most important acquisition before the polls. The BJP released the first list of candidates for the Bengal elections, naming Adhikari as its candidate from Nandigram. The BJP today announced names for 57 seats in the Bengal polls that begin later this month.

Mamata Banerjee had initially decided to contest on two seats – traditionally her’s – Bhowanipur and Nadigram. But yesterday, she declared that she would fight only from one seat – Nandigram, handing the Bhowanipore seat in Kolkata over to her power minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay. As if BJP was waiting for it. It opened the battle for her ptching Adhikari against her. Such fights are often as politically-charged as they drive emotions high. Once a friend, now a foe, story always has its unpleasant twists and turns,

Importantly, Suvendu Adhikari's father Sisir Adhikari who is a Trinamool MP who had so far stayed away from any controversy, now says that Mamata’s decision to take on his son would be counter-productive for her.

The Adhikari family, headed by Sisir Adhikari and comprising sons Suvendu, Dibyendu and Soumendu have a stranglehold over the Purba Midnapore district. Sisir Adhikari is Trinamool MP from Kanthi, his son Dibyendu is Trinamool MP from Tamluk in the district. Soumendu was chairperson of Kanthi municipality till his recent removal and Suvendu was the MLA from Nandigram. The district has a substantial Muslim population, who are loyals of the by didi.

Adhikari is credited with helping Mamata grab Nandigram from the Left in 2007 win with high margins. Prior to this it saw unpleasant war on land rights of the famers’ area where CPM government had plans to set up a chemical hub. This win had led Mamata come back to power in 2011 again with huge margins.

Early this week, Suvendu Adhikari had told the BJP leadership that he was confident of defeating Mamata Banerjee by "at least 50,000 votes" in Nandigram. Taking a cue, BJP waited for didi to announce her seat for election and succeeded in allegedly manipulating her to leave her traditional seat and move to Nandigram, the very next day.

Calling himself a "son" of Midnapore - the region that Nandigram falls in -- Adhikari made an indirect comment on Didi, who once addressed him as an outsider.

This battle remains the most vital of other assembly polls this year.