Nandigram ground report: TMC’s ‘Hindu turn’ in battle to wrest Suvendu Adhikari’s seat

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Written by: Ravik Bhattacharya, Atri Mitra7 min readNandigram (purba Medinipur)Apr 22, 2026 07:25 AM IST As West Bengal heads to the first phase of polls on April 23, with campaigning ending Tuesday, Nandigram will be one of the most closely watched among the 152 constituencies going to vote. (Express photo by Partha Paul) Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT At Nandigram’s Badar Auliya Pir Saheb Mazar field, horses line up to race as a huge crowd cheers. Roaming the field, local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mijanur Shah urges his colleagues to quickly arrive with party candidate Pabitra Kar so that he can meet the villagers who have gathered to watch the annual horse race, one of the few events where Hindus and Muslims participate together. As West Bengal heads to the first phase of polls on April 23, with campaigning ending Tuesday, Nandigram will be one of the most closely watched among the 152 constituencies going to vote. That is because of the centrality of Nandigram to the Trinamool Congress’s (TMC) rise to power. The 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram, along with the one in Singur, propelled Mamata Banerjee to the Chief Minister’s chair. In 2021, the CM lost narrowly to her former associate and current Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari from the constituency, making the contest this time an even bigger prestige battle. The TMC, copying from the BJP playbook, has pitted Adhikari’s former aide, Pabitra Kar, against him, even as Adhikari squares off against Mamata in her south Kolkata constituency of Bhabanipur. While the fallout of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the narratives of welfare politics and cultural battles play out in the rest of the state, in Nandigram, the conversation is about who is the “bigger Hindu”, Kar or Adhikari? With the TMC confident of retaining the support of Muslims, who make up 23% of the population, the party is trying to bring over a section of Hindus to its side. That is where the election will be won or lost, the party believes. On the campaign trail, Kar targets his former boss, saying that, at every rally, Adhikari feels the need to declare himself a “Sanatani”. “I do not have to do that. No one else has to announce his identity; that is because he is fake.” In Satangabari, Kar accuses Adhikari of forgetting his former colleagues and practising communal politics. “Suvendu Adhikari claims to be the guardian of Nandigram. Then why do those who fought with him during the land agitation still have so many cases against them? He never helped them. He has suddenly become religious. I have spent time in jail. After I win, we will make sure that you will not have any cases left. All he has done is introduce communal politics here.” Playing up his Hindu credentials, Kar says at another meeting, “I started Ram Navami in Nandigram. Since then, Suvendu has been banking on such initiatives.” Even as it tries to break the BJP’s hold on Hindu votes, the TMC has to ensure that the Indian Secular Force (ISF), linked to the popular Furfura Sharif pilgrimage site, does not divide the minority votes. “Do not give even one vote to the ISF. Muslims should be aware,” Kar says at a meeting. Locals agree that the situation has changed over the years. At the horse race, Raqib Sheikh, a farmer and resident of Amdabad in Nandigram, says, “This is perhaps among the few occasions where both Hindus and Muslims are part of the crowd. Over the years, a line has been drawn. And tensions heighten during the poll season.” Talk of jobs has not completely disappeared in the region famous for the anti-land-acquisition movement that took place over two decades ago. Like in the rest of the state, jobs and migration are important issues. Many youths migrate to Metiabruz and Kidderpore in Kolkata, working as tailors in the garment shops. While the TMC campaign focuses on the Rs 1,500 monthly stipend for unemployed youth announced by the government before the polls, as well as flagship schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar, the BJP talks of creating employment opportunities near home. Last year, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar announced that the Centre would invest Rs 2,000 crore to develop a state-of-the-art shipbuilding and repair facility in Nandigram’s Jellingham area. While Adhikari shuttles between Nandigram and Bhabanipur and fulfils his campaign responsibilities elsewhere, his associates hold the fort in the constituency. At the BJP party office in Nandigram’s Birulia area, hectic preparations are underway for a motorbike rally. “So what if Dada (Suvendu) has to shuttle between Nandigram and Bhabanipur? We are here. He is addressing rallies and meetings here and in Kolkata. He is also addressing rallies in different parts of the state,” says Pralay Pal, the BJP’s area vice-president and Adhikari’s right-hand man. Asked how this battle is different from 2021, Pal rattles off the talking points. “Everyone has seen what has happened in Bangladesh. How Hindus are being tortured there. How leaders there are threatening to grab our ‘seven sisters (Northeastern states)’ and the Chicken’s Neck (Siliguri Corridor). People will not allow Bengal to become Bangladesh.” One of Kar’s disadvantages is that his public profile is not as big as Adhikari’s. As the campaign kicked into high gear over the past few weeks, he ran from one booth to another each day, campaigning late into the evening. “He was the panchayat leader of the Boyal-I village in Nandigram-II Block. Not all voters know Kar. So, he has to visit every booth. Suvendu has an advantage,” admits a senior TMC leader. Pal also refers to this, dismissing his former party colleague’s campaign. “Who is he? Apart from a small area, nobody knows him. He has to address street corners each day so that people get to know him. He is saying Mamata Banerjee lost (in 2021) due to alleged manipulation. But he was one of the counting agents of the BJP. Ask him what happened? On the other hand, everybody knows Suvendu Adhikari; everyone knows who is real and who is fake.” Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata. Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects. Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010. Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India. ... Read More Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience  Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More