Mamata Vs Suvendu and their Nandigram connection; Will TMC’s ‘soft Hindutva’ yield results

New Delhi: The battle for Nandigram has heated up with CM Mamata Banerjee filing her nomination from the hotly contested assembly and her challenger Suvendu Adhikari taking to poll battle with equal gusto.

Mamata Vs her former close aide Adhikari in the Bengal elections has hogged all the limelight and is set to be the most sought-after constituency in the state.

Both owe a big connection with Nandigram as it was this seat that gave them national prominence and catapulted Mamata Banerjee into the centre stage of Bengal politics. TMC was able to dismantle the Left hegemony in the state after 25 years of the regime.

Suvendu Adhikari was the key strategist and architect of the TMC protest in Nandigram in 2007. He spearheaded the anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram and owing to immense success, he joined the Didi’s core team and became one of the TMC heavyweights.

Mamata’s soft Hindutva and the political backlash

With BJP stepping up the offensive for Bengal polls, Mamata and her party have launched an aggressive campaign to woo the electorate. Insider vs Outsider narrative is a big talking point.

Moreover, Didi’s overtures to the Hindu community is gaining huge attention and also the political backlash, as the Opposition has called this an ‘opportunist move’.

#WATCH West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee recites 'Chandi Path' during her public rally in Nandigram pic.twitter.com/7PC0eTwGwc

— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2021

Yesterday, Didi recited Chandipath at an election rally. Today, she offered prayers at Shiv Temple in Nandigram before filing nomination papers.

Reports suggest that TMC has planned to release its manifesto on Mahashivratri, a highly popular Hindu festival.

The opposition claims that TMC has always practised politics of appeasement but has now suddenly turned ‘Hindu-friendly’ anticipating a big loss in Assembly elections.