Political maneuvering is underway in West Bengal, even though the assembly elections are some time away. Both the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are actively preparing. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has set his sights on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s constituency. Meanwhile, the TMC is focusing on the BJP stronghold of Nandigram.
Sources within the BJP indicate that Adhikari has begun preparations in Bhawanipur, strengthening booth-level organization and conducting surveys to identify weaknesses. The goal is to analyze where the Chief Minister’s party gained and lost ground in 2021.
Adhikari has made it clear that Mamata Banerjee will not have free rein in Bhawanipur. The BJP is gathering voter data and considering opening an office in the constituency.
Following the controversy surrounding the special intensive revision of the voter list in Bihar, Adhikari warned that thousands of fake names would be removed in Bengal to prevent fraudulent voting.
The TMC is also strategizing in Nandigram, where Mamata Banerjee narrowly won in 2021 by 1,956 votes, a result currently under legal challenge. Party insiders reveal that TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, along with other top leaders, have initiated meetings with district leaders and block-level organizers to strengthen their position in Adhikari’s area. One TMC leader stated that Abhishek Banerjee and other senior party figures have met with leaders from various organizational districts, including Tamluk, emphasizing the need for a focused strategy for Nandigram. A special meeting with booth presidents and grassroots leaders will be held soon.
Political analysts suggest that the contest is no longer just Bhawanipur versus Nandigram, but Mamata versus Adhikari and Abhishek versus Adhikari. Both sides aim to prove that the other’s stronghold is not impregnable. All eyes are now on the TMC’s next move in Nandigram, with analysts predicting a closely contested assembly election for both parties.
