Mamata Banerjee cancels Nandigram visit on January 7 after Suvendu declares rally next day

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee has cancelled her meeting in Nandigram on January 7 and she will be replaced by the party's state president Subrata Bokshi instead. The announcement was made on Monday by Akhil Giri, TMC MLA of Ramnagar without stating any reasons for her absence. 

January 7 is an important day in the calendar as it marks the 2007 Nandigram land movement. At least 11 people were killed in police firing 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 as more than 3000 officers were deployed, leading to clashes with the locals with at least 11 killed in police firing.

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Every year, the TMC holds large gatherings in the “Martyrs' Remembrance Program” to mark the 2007 movement which led to the fall of the Left government in 2011- heralding Mamata Banerjee’s first term as Chief Minister. This is the first time Banerjee will be skipping the program.

The announcement comes just two days after TMC’s principal Opposition party, BJP declared to launch a 'Nandigram Chalo' rally spearheaded by its newly joined leader Suvendu Adhikari on January 8. Incidentally, Suvendu is also a former MLA of Nandigram. He resigned as MLA before joining the BJP. So currently, Nandigram without an MLA. 

READ | Will Always Stand By People Of Nandigram: Suvendu Adhikari

Suvendu quits TMC

On December 17, Suvendu Adhikari officially quit the Trinamool Congress, ending his 22-year-stint in the ruling party. Tendering his resignation to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, he also quit from his MLA post - which has now been accepted by Speaker Biman Banerjee. Apart from Adhikari, several top TMC leaders - Rabi-Ul-Islam, Aparesh Santra, Silbhadra Datta, Kabir-Ul-Islam, Abhijit Acharya,  Col Diptangshu Choudhury and Banashri Maity also quit the TMC and skipped to the BJP.

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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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