BJP challenges Mamata to announce she will contest only from Nandigram if she is confident

The BJP Saturday challenged WestBengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to announce that shewill contest the coming state election only from Nandigram ifshe is confident of her victory, prompting TMC to hit back andask the saffron party to first name its chief ministerialcandidate.

BJP national general secretary and Bengal minderKailash Vijayvargiya in a tweet asked Banerjee to announcewhether she will be fighting only from Nandigram.

The Trinamool Congress was quick to hit back saying itwondered why BJP is scared of declaring its Nandigramcandidate or its chief ministerial face.

BJP has not announced its candidate for the seat andhas said it will choose its chief minister only after comingto power in the state.

Banerjee had announced at a TMC rally at Nandigram inJanuary that she will contest from the seat.

Nandigram had witnessed anti-farmland acquisitionmovement in 2007 in the aftermath of the then Left Frontgovernment's plan to acquire land for a special economic zone.

TMC rode the crest of the movement and came to power in thestate in 2011 ending the 34-year rule of the LF.

In 2016 the Nandigram seat in East Midnapore districtwas won by the then TMC heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, whorecently switched over to BJP and has publicly vowed to defeatBanerjee by 50,000 votes.

Vijayvargiya in his tweet said ''Mamata Banerjee hasannounced to contest assembly elections from Nandigram. But,she did not say that she will contest from here only! If sheis confident of her victory, make this announcement too! ...

Otherwise, it will be understood that you do not trustNandigram!''.

BJP national secretary Anupam Hazra said if TMC didnot announce it now, it will be understood that that Banerjeewill fight the election from more seats.

''If Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is sure of hervictory in Nandigram she should announce that she will contestonly from the seat. This way she cannot deny her statement onthe issue ater. Or else it is not unknown what they (TMC) willdo next,'' he posted on the micro blogging site.

The TMC shot back saying ''Why is BJP scared ofdeclaring its Nandigram candidate? Or even its CM face? MamataDi (eder sister as she is called by TMC workers and leaders)is TMC's face for all the 294 seats.

''BJP should first announce whom they will fieldagainst Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram. We are all set to winbig,'' it said in a statement.

After having a limited presence in the politicallypolarised state for decades, the BJP has emerged as TMC's mainrival. It had won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019general elections in West Bengal.

The saffron party leaders are upbeat that the partywill be able to end Banerjee's 10-year rule in the statepolls.

Election to the 294-member state Assembly is due inApril-May next year.