Mamata says she will contest assembly poll from Nandigram, Adhikari accepts challenge

As long as Iam alive, I wont allow them to sell out my state to the BJP,she said.TMC sources said Banerjees announcement willgalvanise party workers in East and West Midnapore districtsand adjoining areas who were feeling rudderless after SuvenduAdhikari quit the party.Without naming Adhikari, Banerjee said he will have tofight the local TMC leaders first before even dreaming ofwinning the state.She recalled the struggles she waged in Nandigram andSingur over forcible land acquisition by the Left Frontgovernment, and asserted the BJP was committing the samemistake by trying to undermine the farmers protest at Delhisborders.No one should undermine the farmers struggle.

Mamata Banerjee onMonday declared she will contest the upcoming assemblyelection from Nandigram, as she took her battle for WestBengal to the home turf of BJP heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari,who promptly accepted the challenge and asserted he willdefeat her or quit politics.

That Banerjee chose Nandigram to make the bigannouncement reflects the TMC supremo's determination to takethe BJP, which has launched a spirited campaign to unseat herafter a decade-long stint in power, head on.

Addressing a rally here, Banerjee said she is notworried about those joining rival parties as they were hardlyaround when the TMC was formed.

Banerjee said these leaders left the ruling party toprotect the money ''they have looted'' in the last few years.

''I have always started my campaign for the assemblypolls from Nandigram. It is a lucky place for me. So thistime I feel that I should contest the assembly polls fromhere. I request our state party president Subrata Bakshito approve my name from this seat,'' Banerjee said.

Bakshi, who was on the podium, swiftly accepted therequest.

Adhikari, who held a road show and a public meeting inKolkata, picked up the gauntlet but said it was for the BJP todecide on his candidature.

''If I am fielded by my party from Nandigram, I willdefeat her by a margin of at least 50,000 votes or I will quitpolitics,'' he asserted.

Adhikari, however, said unlike the TMC, which is run''autocratically'' by Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek, in BJPthe candidates are decided after discussion and it is for theparty to take a call on his candidature.

''I don't know from where I will be fielded, whether Iwill be fielded,'' he said, addressing BJP workers after athree-km road show.

Nandigram was the scene of massive public protestagainst ''forcible'' land acquisition by the then Left Frontgovernment for creation of a special economic zone.

The protracted and often bloody protests added toBanerjee and her party's political heft and catapulted the TMCto power in 2011, marking the end of the Left Front rule of 34years.

Adhikari is considered the face of the movementin Nandigram.

After switching over to ther BJP, Adhikari has oftenaccused Banerjee of having forgotten the people of the areawho helped her gain power in the state.

Banerjee is at present the MLA from Bhawanipore insouth Kolkata.

''If possible, I will contest from both Bhawanipore andNandigram. Nandigram is my elder sister and Bhawanipore is myyounger sister. I will give a strong candidate fromBhawanipore also, in case I don't fight from that seat,'' shesaid.

Banerjee said she would never allow ''a handful ofpeople'' to sell out Bengal to the BJP.

''Those who have left the party have my best wishes.

Let them become president and vice president of the country.

But don't you dare to sell out Bengal to the BJP. As long as Iam alive, I won't allow them to sell out my state to the BJP,''she said.

TMC sources said Banerjee's announcement willgalvanise party workers in East and West Midnapore districtsand adjoining areas who were feeling rudderless after SuvenduAdhikari quit the party.

Without naming Adhikari, Banerjee said he will have tofight the local TMC leaders first before even dreaming ofwinning the state.

She recalled the struggles she waged in Nandigram andSingur over forcible land acquisition by the Left Frontgovernment, and asserted the BJP was committing the samemistake by trying to undermine the farmers' protest at Delhi'sborders.

''No one should undermine the farmers' struggle. TheBJP is trying to undermine it and will face the sameconsequences like the Left did because of Nandigram andSingur,'' she said, and reaffirmed her opposition to the threefarms laws.

''The CPI(M) tried to snatch away the land of thefarmers. The BJP is trying to snatch away the crops of thefarmers,'' she said.

Attacking the BJP for inducting a raft of leaders fromrival political parties, Banerjee said it had turned itselfinto washing powder where tainted leaders come out clean afterjoining the saffron camp.

''BJP is the biggest junk party in the country. BJP isnot a political party but washing powder. It's using moneybagsand intimidatory tactics to lure or coerce TMC leaders intojoining them,'' she alleged.

Referring to the desertions from her own party, shesaid the BJP might have ''bought a few leaders but cannot buythe people of Bengal''.

''There are three kinds of leaders-- lobhi (greedy),''bhogi'' (hedonist) and the ''tyagi'' (the one who renounces).

The bhogis and lobhis might quit the party, but the tyagisnever will. This party is like a mother to us and the tyagiswill never ever quit the party,'' she said.

Banerjee asserted the TMC will win a third straightterm in office and the BJP will be decimated.

The TMC supremo alleged the BJP has bought off somemedia houses which are coming up with fake surveys favouringthe saffron party in the assembly elections.

Suvendu Adhikari switched over to the BJP in thepresence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah last month, in areflection of the importance the leader from Nandigram has inthe saffron party's scheme of things for the West Bengalelections. He also persuaded his younger brother Soumendu, whowas removed as Kanti municipality administrator, to join theBJP.

His another younger brother Dibyendu and father SisirAdhikari are TMC Lok Sabha members from Tamluk and Kanthi.

Both gave Banerjee's rally a miss.

The Adhikaris wield considerable influence in at least40-45 assembly segments in East and West Midnapore, Bankura,Purulia, Jhargram, parts of Birbhum -- mainly in theJunglemahal region and areas in minority-dominatedMurshidabad district.