Mamata’s Overconfidence About Nandigram Is Misplaced: Union Minister Babul

Kolkata: The political slugfest on social media is, at times, more interesting than the rallies and public meetings.

Union Minister of state for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Babul Supriyo is known to coin different hashtags against the Trinamool Congress (TMC), BJP’s main rival in West Bengal.

Having earlier coined #TM(chi), meaning ‘deplorable TMC’, Babul has come up with #PaliyeGeloMamata (Mamata flees).

“Mamata Banerjee to contest from Nandigram, gives up Bhowanipore #PaliyeGeloMamata,” Babul had tweeted after the TMC made it official that the Chief Minister would contest from Nandigram, and not her home constituency Bhowanipore.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, through his handle @DilipGhoshBJP, had tweeted: “Facing evident defeat, Mamata makes her historic ‘Long-Jump from Bhowanipore to Nandigram!….”

West Bengal’s BJP co-in-charge Amit Malviya also linked the CM’s move to TMC’s ‘impending’ defeat. Malviya had earlier dared Didi to contest only from Nandigram and prove that she was sure of winning the seat.

Suvendu Adhikari, her opponent in Nandigram, also went on record as saying that he will defeat her former ‘boss’ by more than 50,000 votes.

While BJP leaders kept daring the CM to contest only from Nandigram, now that she’s taken up the challenge, the saffron party is accusing her of deserting her old constituency Bhowanipore.

Babul is not ready to believe that Mamata has chosen Nandigram to prove a point to BJP.

“Didi’s choice of Nandigram is a well-calculated move. The decision is of a shrewd political brain. She might disguise it as a ‘challenge’ but it is not so simple,” said the Union minister.

“She knew very well that she will not be able to win, not even in her own booth, Mitra Institution, where she and her family members vote. If that happens, then the entire ad campaign ‘Bangla Nijer Meye Ke Chai’ (Bangla wants its own woman) will fall flat. She has understood that Bhowanipore does not want its ‘own girl’. That is why she has moved to Nandigram. People have not been able to get the drift yet. In Nandigram, the average minority presence is 5-6% more than that of the state’s average. It is her calculation that years of appeasing the minorities will stand her in good stead,” was how Babul explained Mamata’s decision.

He added that Mamata’s overconfidence is misplaced. “She thinks that the minorities will vote for her blindfolded. Actually, she sees this as a safer seat than Bhowanipore. Let’s accept that,” he said.

The singer-turned-politician has matured over the years as a politician and learnt to keep his emotions and impulses in check. The Asansol MP, who has had numerous tussles with the former mayor of Asansol and former TMC member Jitendra Tiwari – who recently joined BJP — in the past, says he has no personal enmity with anyone in ‘rajniti’.

“Politics is not for personal gains. The TMC has practised this over the years, resulting in their alienation from the masses. We, Tiwari and I, were at loggerheads. He also created many roadblocks in my efforts to develop Asansol. But his intent in joining the BJP was very intense. In politics, we should see the greater good of the people and that is what should count. Tiwari’s organizational skills will be put to good use by the BJP. He will also fully cooperate in this regard. If someone wants to work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi then the individual equations should not count. Everyone is welcome,” said the MP.

Also Read: Mamata Banerjee Dares BJP; Will Contest From Suvendu Stronghold Nandigram

Also Read: High-Voltage Clash: BJP Pits Suvendu Against Mamata At Nandigram