It's 'Battle Royale' at Nandigram as Mamata faces Suvendu

New Delhi: As BJP announced the first list of 57 candidates for the ensuing Assembly elections, a blockbuster poll battle in Nandigram — between Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee and her former lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari — seems to be in store.

Banerjee had announced from a public rally on January 18 that she would contest from Nandigram. Adhikari, who exited from the TMC and joined BJP, had challenged the TMC supremo and said that he would defeat her by 50,000 votes or quit politics. The BJP on Saturday endorsed the fight and declared him the party's nominee from the seat.

Suvendu, who was a Lok Sabha MP, quit the post and became a candidate from Nandigram in the 2016 Assembly elections and had won the seat by 81,230 votes.

Banerjee made him the state Transport minister, chairmen of Haldia Development Authority and Hooghly River Bridge Commissioner (HRBC). He became the party observer for several districts. Over the years, Suvendu used his administrative and political power to become the undisputed leader of East Midnapore.

Debra, another Assembly constituency of West Midnapore, will see a contest between two ex-cops — BJP's Bharati Ghosh and TMC's Humayun Kabir. Former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Humayun Kabir joined Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's TMC after quitting as Commissioner of Chandannagar Police Commissionerate last month. He has been named the TMC candidate from Debra. Bharati Ghosh was earlier the police chief of adjoining Jhargram district and was known to be close to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Later, she joined the BJP in 2019 and contested the Lok Sabha elections from Ghatal.

The BJP list consists of the names of 57 candidates, including one seat for ally AJSU from Baghmundi. Polls in 60 seats are going to be held in the first and second phases.

Another star face from the saffron party, former cricketer Ashoke Dinda, who joined the BJP last month, will be its candidate from Purba Medinipur's Moyna constituency. The Assembly seat is held by the TMC's Sangram Kumar Dola who defeated Congress candidate Manik Bhowmik in the 2016 polls by almost 12,000 votes. He was named the ruling party's candidate once again this time.

Though there was speculation that the party might name Dilip Ghosh as its state president, Tapan Bhuiya has been named as the candidate.

Further, former CPI(M) leader Tapasi Mondal, who joined BJP last year has been named as its candidate from Haldia. A total of five female candidates have been given election tickets out of 57 in the first two phases, which is 18 per cent.

Apart from this, Dibakar Ghourmi from Sonamukhi (SC), Nirmal Dhara from Indus (SC), Harkali Patihar from Katulpur (SC), Deepankar Jana from Kakdwip, Ashit Haldar from Patharpratima, Chitta Pramanik from Gosaba (SC), Sudhanshu Hansda from Raipur (ST), Khudiram Tudu from Ranibandh (ST), Satyanarayan Mukherjee from Chhatna, Chandana Barui from Saltora, Bivekananda Barui from Raghunathpur (SC), Nadia Chand Barui from Para (SC), Gouri Singh Sardar from Manbazar (ST), Sudeep Mukherjee from Purulia, Narahari Mahato from Joypur, Baneswar Mahato from Balrampur, Parsi Murmu from Bandwan (ST), Palan Saren from Binpur (ST), Shamit Dash from Medinipur, Rajib Kundu from Salboni, Madan Ruidas from Garbeta, Sonali Murmu from Keshiyari (ST), Bikas Kamila from Sagar, Harekrishna Bera from Tamluk, Debabrata Patnayak from Panshkura Purab, Shintu Senapati from Panshkura Paschim, Nilanjan Adhikari from Nandakumar, Biswanath Banerjee from Mahishadal, Pulak Kanti Guriya from Chandipur, Ramprasad Giri from Narayangarh, Amulya Maity from Sabang, Antara Bhattacharya from Pingla, Prashanth Bera from Daspur, Shital Kapat from Ghatal (SC), Shibram Das from Chandrakona (SC), Pritish Ranjan Kaur from Keshpur (SC), Shyamal Kumar Sarkar from Taldangra, Niladri Shekar Dana from Bankura, Amar Sakha from Onda and Tanmoy Ghosh from Bishnupur have been named as BJP candidates.