BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee attack each other as battle for Nandigram intensifies

The leaders of BJP and TMC have intensified their efforts to woo voters before the campaigning for the second phase for the upcoming assembly elections ends in the state.

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Kolkata: The leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) have intensified their efforts to woo voters before the campaigning for the second phase for the upcoming assembly elections ends in the state. 

The party leaders are, at least, leading 3-4 rallies on a daily basis. These public meetings have resulted into a bitter war of words between the leaders of the two parties, especially between ex-TMC leader and current BJP member Suvendhu Adhikari and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

While addressing rallies in Nandigram on Monday, which was also the second last day of campaigning for phase two of state assembly elections, in a barb directed at Adhikari and his father Sisir Adhikari, CM Mamata Banerjee said, "Too much greed is not good. They will be 'na ghar ka na ghat ka' (who is stuck in the middle and does not belong to either of the sides). He (Adhikari) is doing whatever he wants. I can play games too. I can also respond like a lion. I am a Royal Bengal Tiger."

Additionally, TMC supremo also attacked Adhikari by stating that the entry of police authorities in Nandigram on March 14, 2007 which had led to the killing of 14 supporters of the historic anti-farmland acquisition movement, could not have taken place without the knowledge of Adhikari. 

"Without the knowledge of the father-son duo, police could not have entered Nandigram on that day. It is my fault that I had showered so much love on them," said TMC supremo, who further went on to brand the Adhikari father-so duo as "traitors". 

"What did I not do for them. I had made him (Suvendu Adhikari) transport, environment, irrigation minister, I had made him the chairman of Hooghly River Bridge Commissioner. I made his father (Sisisr Adhikari) chairman of Digha Development Authority, I made his brother (Soumendu Adhikari) chairman of Haldia Development Authority. I made his brother the chairman of Contai Municipality. I had given at least 10 plum postings to a single family and this is how they reciprocated, this is how they betrayed as venomous traitors," she added.

Replying to Mamata’s allegations and attacks on himself and his father, BJP’s candidate from Nandigram constituency, Suvendu Adhikari said, "She is speaking nonsense as she has understood that she is going to lose in Nandigram."

The BJP candidate’s replies to CM Mamata Banerjee were sharp. While addresing a public meeting he said, "TMC Pvt Ltd owner is in Birulia with a bandage on her leg. The Managing Director is Bhaipo (nephew) and others are employees and small time thieves."

"Banerjee has reaped the benefits of the Nandigram movement due to Suvendu who had risked his life in the fight against the CPI-M terror. She had used him, she had used me in her rise to the seat of the CM. Now she is speaking against us as we had protested against her way of functioning. She stands exposed before the people of Nandigram and Bengal," he said. 

Adhikari also added that TMC supremo’s allegations have no ground. He added that he and his family shifted to the BJP’s cause to save themselves. "We had shifted to BJP after being ill treated and abused by the TMC leadership for the past several months despite giving our best for the TMC. People of Purba Medinipur (district) will give her a befitting reply," Sisir Adhikari said.

"In fact it is she who is communalising the atmosphere to get more votes. She had been pursuing the politics of appeasement for all these years and had sown the seeds of division. We (BJP) believe in taking along all in the path of development; we don't believe in preferential treatment to one community,” said Adhikari.