Suvendu Adhikari to file nomination from Nandigram today, Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan, Mithun Chakraborty to be present

Nandigram: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari will file his nomination papers from Nandigram on Friday. Adhikari, who will be taking on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is expected to be accompanied by Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan and actor Mithun Chakraborty.

The battle for Nandigram has become a prestige issue for Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari and the presence of top Modi government ministers during the latter’s nomination filing further underlines the significance attached to the Nandigram seat.

It may be noted that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already filed her nomination from the Nandigram seat. Interestingly, Adhikari has also vowed to defeat Banerjee with a margin of 50,000 votes, or else, quit politics.

The BJP leader visited a temple of Lord Shiva in Nandigram on Thursday and offered puja on the occasion of Mahashivratri. Adhikari visited the Sonachura Trilokeshwar Temple in the area amid a large number of devotees who gathered there to offer puja on the occasion.

A large number of BJP supporters were also present as Adhikari, the party's candidate from Nandigram, offered puja at the temple.

As a microphone was handed to him, he chanted 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Bhole Baba Par Karega' amid loud cheers from his supporters.
However, he refrained from making any political comments.

Adhikari is fighting a high-stakes election against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from Nandigram - the battle for which is being watched closely.

Banerjee, who is the TMC candidate from the seat, visited one temple after another over the last two days during her election campaign in the area, which had to be cut short after she was injured in an alleged attack.

Elections for the 294-seater West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases starting March 27. The battle for Nandigram will take place in the second phase. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. 

While the BJP has already claimed that it will come to power with over 200 seats, Trinamool Congress (TMC) has claimed that BJP will not be able to cross the double-digit mark.