Nandigram battle: Acid test for BJP’s defection strategy

Nandigram, the current epicentre of West Bengal politics, will witness a high-stakes battle between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her former protegee Suvendu Adhikari, who is now a BJP candidate.

While both sides are trying to claim the legacy of the land agitation in Nandigram in 2007 as their own, there are several other factors at play.

Nandigram will be an acid test of BJP’s defection strategy. The move of roping in Adhikari was aimed at strengthening the BJP not only in Nandigram but also in East and West Medinipur districts.

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However, speaking to DH, an influential TMC leader in Nandigram and once a close aid of Adhikari, Swyam Kaaji said that apart from one block president, Adhikari has failed to lure away any significant “vote managers” from the TMC.

“It is the booth level leaders and workers who do the work of vote managing during elections. Suvendu has no significant vote managers with him,” he said.

BJP insiders also said that a section of party leaders in Nandigram was unable to accept Adhikari and have become inactive, which may have an adverse impact on the saffron party’s prospects.

The nearly 30 per cent Muslim population in Nandigram have firmly backed the TMC, with Adhikari as its candidate, since the 2011 Assembly elections. But with his joining the BJP and increasingly polarising remarks such as calling Mamata “the ‘phuphi’ (paternal aunt used mainly by Muslims) of infiltrators and ‘khala’ (maternal aunt used by Muslims) of Rohingyas” may further consolidate the Muslim votes in her favour.

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According to the 2011 Census, the Nandigram I block has 65.82 per cent (1,36,789) Hindu population and 34.04 per cent (70,756) Muslim population. As for the Nandigram II block, there are 87.71 per cent Hindu population and 12.12 per cent Muslim population.

However, it may turn out to be an uphill task for Mamata if the BJP is able to successfully polarise the about 70 per cent Hindu votes in its favour. Adhikari’s frequent visits to temples and jibes at Mamata for “wrong recital” of Sanskrit slokas is a clear indication of BJP’s tactics.

Locals said that BJP’s chances in Nandigram could not be totally ruled out as the saffron party has a dedicated support base in the area.

Speaking to DH, a local TMC leader said that Adhikari’s role in the 2007 land agitation and his organisational skills cannot be ignored adding that it will be a tough fight in Nandigram.