Confident of his win from Nandigram, Suvendu appeals to people to vote
Suvendu Adhikari said that the situation is under control in Nandigram, adding that voters are hoping to usher in development
Suvendu Adhikari, who is contesting the West Bengal Assembly elections on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket against chief minister Mamata Banerjee from Nandigram, said on Thursday that he is confident of his victory. Nandigram is among the 30 constituencies in West Bengal where polling is being held on Thursday in the second phase of Assembly elections.
"I have a very old relationship with the people of the area. I have a personal relationship with almost every person in Nandigram. Pretty confident that I will win the election," Adhikari said after casting his vote at Nandanayak Bar Primary School. He was among the early voters.
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"Entire villages have come out to vote in favour of the BJP," he added.
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Adhikari also said that the situation is under control in Nandigram, adding that voters are hoping to usher in development. "Voting is underway, the situation is under control. People are hoping for development," news agency ANI reported quoting Adhikari.
Once considered the protege of Banerjee, Adhikari quit Trinamool Congress and joined the BJP in December last year. He was known for organising a ground level anti-land acquisition in Nandigram, which ultimately catapulted his erstwhile party to the legislature in 2011, after defeating the Left front government
What has made the political battle in Nandigram interesting is that Banerjee left her home turf Bhahanipur and chose Adhikari's stronghold. She has called Adhikari a traitor and vowed to teach him a lesson. The Left Front has fielded Minakshi Mukherjee, the state president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) from Nandigram against Banerjee and Adhikari.
Adhikari, meanwhile, appealed to people to cast their vote as the entire nation had their eyes set on Nandigram. “I appeal to people to come out in large numbers to cast their vote as the whole country is looking at Nandigram,” ANI said quoting Adhikari.
The Assembly elections in West Bengal are being held in eight phases and will end on April 29. The counting of votes will be held on May 2.