Suvendu reminds Mamata of Nandigram defeat: 'What if BJP fields me in Bhabanipur as well?'

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Monday dared Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming Bhabanipur by-polls. Speaking to the media, Suvendu Adhikari underlined that the BJP could very well field him as its candidate against TMC's candidate Mamata Banerjee for the Bhabanipur seat, which is scheduled to hold by-polls on September 30.  

"Then what will happen?" Suvendu asked Mamata, reminding her of her landmark defeat in Nandigram in the recently concluded assembly elections in West Bengal. The statement of Suvendu Adhikari comes a day after the BJP said that it would be fielding a strong candidate for the seat. 

BJP to announce its Bhabanipur candidate soon 

BJP's West Bengal chief Dilip Ghosh on Sunday said, "We will fight the election strongly." He underlined that the election committee will oversee the matter, and the suggested names will be sent to Delhi. After that, the parliamentary board will make the final announcement. However, in 2-3 days, the candidates of the West Bengal by-elections will be announced," BJP's West Bengal chief added. 

Dilip Ghosh, while addressing the media, asserted that the BJP had defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, and added," Her slogan that 'Bengal wants its own daughter' went flop. The people of Bengal have shown that they do not want Mamata Banerjee. But after that, she is trying to come through the back door. She made an elected MLA who is also a minister resign in the greed of position."

It is pertinent to mention that TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, who lost the election from Nandigram, will have to get elected as an MLA by November 5 to continue as West Bengal Chief Minister. Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, TMC MLA from Bhabanipur constituency, vacated the seat for Banerjee to contest from there, win, and retain her post. 

Nandigram battle

In a bid to protect her home turf, Mamata Banerjee had battled BJP's Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram, the place which had catapulted her into the CM post in 2011. Taking the battle head-on, Banerjee had announced she would contest polls from Nandigram instead of her bastion Bhowanipore, leading to BJP fielding Adhikari.

The nail-biting clincher saw Adhikari take the lead by 4000 seats over Mamata Banerjee, but later, the margin reduced to mere six votes before Mamata took the lead. Though Mamata accepted her defeat, she said that she had challenged the electoral verdict in Calcutta High court.

Image Credit: Suvenduadhika20-Twitter/PTI