Sourabha Parida

Nandigram, Mar 24: Nandigram has turned talk of the town ahead of its polling on April 1 with all leading media houses camping there not to miss any happening as it is witnessing fight to finish battle between two-time Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her former close aide Suvendu Adhikari .

It is going to polls along with 29 other Assembly constituencies in the second phase polling on April 1. Before, Nandigram voting will be held,  other 30 Assembly constituencies are going to polls on Mar 27. The Trinamool Congress has concentrated all its focus on Nandigram, which was the bastion of the party with Suvendu Adhikari winning the seat by a margin of 81,230 votes defeating his CPI rival Abdul Kabir Sekh in 2016. Earlier, it was also won by TMC nominee Phiroja Bibi  by a margin of 43,640 in 2011 when Mamata overpowered the CPI.

However, during course of time, the BJP has emerged as a threat to Mamata led TMC with scores of grassroot level party cadres and leaders changing their affiliation to the saffron party. The Nandigram constituency has turned into a hotspot after Mamata took the challenge of her former minister Suvendu Adhikari to contest against him. Now winning Nandigram has become a prestige issue for Mamata and her brigade.

Leaving the campaign for this coveted constituency on highly competent party organiser and Union Petroleum Minister from neighbouring Odisha Dharmendra Pradhan, the BJP high command has positioned men and resources in other potential constituencies going to polls in first and second phases.

While winning chance of Suvendu is getting brighter day-by-day with Dharmendra steering the helm at Nandigram, worried TMC has deployed all its power not to give it a miss. Taking the opportunity the BJP is making its foothold stronger in other potential constituencies where the party is expected to give a close fight with the TMC, said a political onlooker.

Out of the 60 constituencies going to polls in the first and second phases, the BJP is going to give tough fight with Mamata’s TMC in around 33 seats, claimed a BJP leader from Odisha camping in West Bengal.