Suvendu Adhikari to lead BJP's 'Nandigram Chalo', set to redraw Mamata's 2007 battleground

Hitting out at Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, BJP has decided to launch a 'Nandigram Chalo' rally spearheaded by its newly joined leader - Suvendu Adhikari on January 8.  Adhikari - who was the mastermind of 2007 Nandigram agitation - which led to the fall of the 34-year CPI(M) govt and the rise of Mamata Banerjee, will be the key speaker at the event. Adhikari, along with 6 MLAs, 1 MP, and 16 other grassroots leaders joined the saffron party's folds in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah's presence 20 December in Midnapore.

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Adhikari: 'BJP tsunami in Bengal'

Holding a rally at his hometown - West Bengal's Kanthi (Contai) village in Midnapore district, Adhikari claimed that BJP will put an end to 'cut money' and 'syndicate raj of Abhishek Banerjee (Mamta Banerjee's nephew). He said, "There are multiple parties in India, hence any person has the right to join any political party. I resigned from the cabinet, from the MLA post before joining the BJP as a voter. Cut money and syndicate raj under the leadership of 'nephew'- people will vote against this. Unemployed youth voted for work, but did not get any job. Farmers and locals will vote for development."

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What is the Nandigram agitation?

In 2007, Trinamool had spearheaded a massive protest against the Left government's move to acquire farmlands for a special economic zone (SEZ) to set up a chemical hub at Nandigram. The move evoked a massive outrage in the region with Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) blocking roads in Nandigram, which was broken by the state police deploying 3000 officers - leading to clashes between locals and police, with at least 11 killed in police firing. Launching the 'Maa, Mati, Manush' campaign, Trinamool severely resisted the land acquisition, leading to the govt shifting the project to Nayachar. The govt's severe police action and Mamata's aggressive protests led to the fall of the Left government in 2011- heralding her first term as CM.

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Suvendu quits TMC

On December 17, Suvendu Adhikari officially quit the Trinamool party ending his 22-year-stint in TMC. Tendering his resignation to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, he had also quit from his MLA post - which has now been accepted by Speaker Biman Banerjee. Apart from Adhikari, several top TMC netas - Rabi-Ul-Islam, Aparesh Santra, Silbhadra Datta, Kabir-Ul-Islam, Abhijit Acharya,  Col Diptangshu Choudhury and Banashri Maity quit the TMC and skipped to the BJP. Asansol civic body chief - Jitendra Tiwari, who had recently slammed the state government for depriving the industrial town of Asansol of central funds for political reasons, quit the party - but later returned to the party folds, apologizing. Four cabinet members - including Rajib Banerjee too have hinted at their exit, skipping cabinet meetings. West Bengal goes to polls in April-May 2021, where Mamata Banerjee eyes a third consecutive term.

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