As the battle for 294-assembly seats in West Bengal heats up, Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced her decision to contest from Nandigram. Although many were caught unaware of this big announcement, others said it was a calculative move by the CM to send a bigger message to the masses.

While addressing a public rally at Tekhali in Nandigram, Banerjee on said Monday, "Nandigram is close to my heart. I can forget my name but I cannot forget Nandigram. Considering the emotional attachment I have with the people of Nandigram, today I am announcing that I wish to contest the upcoming polls from Nandigram."

She added that she could also contest from Bhawanipore in South Kolkata -- the seat she won in 2011 and 2016 assembly polls. If sources are to be believed, there is a buzz that Prashant Kishor, a political strategist, was behind the decision. The TMC's campaign is being managed by the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), which has previously worked with the BJP, JD(U), YRS Congress and Shiv Sena.

Nandigram assumes significance for Banerjee as it holds the road to her chief ministership in 2011. It was one of the places of TMC's anti-land acquisition protest, while the other being Singur. Fourteen villagers were killed in police firing in 2007 when they were protesting against land acquisition for a chemical hub of Indonesian firm Salim Group.

It was at Nandigram that the slogan 'Maa, Mati, Manush' (Mother, Motherland and People) was coined and is being used by the party in every election. Nandigram also marks the return on Banerjee to street politics, something she is popular for.

Secondly, the seat was won by former party MLA Suvendu Adhikari, who turned rebel and joined the BJP ahead of the polls. Banerjee's move leaves a message that she would do whatever it takes for her party and would take on the saffron party, which is looking to make inroads in West Bengal. However, it remains to be seen whether Adhikari would get a ticket from Nanidgram as he has claimed "to defeat Banerjee by at least by 50,000 votes".

Moreover, the move would help Banerjee in giving out a message that she is a fighter and not just contesting from a safe seat. In 2016, Banerjee defeated Congress's Deepa Dasmunshi by 25,000 votes and won by a 54,000-vote margin in 2011.

First Published:Jan 19, 2021 6:27 PM IST