West Bengal polls: Second phase campaigning ends, all eyes on Mamata vs Suvendu in Nandigram

NEW DELHI: Campaigning for the second phase of West Bengal elections has ended and all eyes are now on the high-profile electoral contest between chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her aide-turned-rival Suvendu Adhikari in the prestigious Nandigram seat.
As many as 30 constituencies from the districts of South 24 Parganas, Bankura, West Midnapore and East Midnapore will go to polls in the state on April 1.
Nandigram — which is set to witness a high-octane contest in the second phase — saw hectic campaigning on the final day with leaders from both the BJP and TMC going all out to woo voters.

Mamata's back-to-back rallies
Criss-crossing Nandigram on a wheelchair in the last leg of campaigning, the TMC supremo sharpened her attack on the BJP and accused it of bribing the voters in the state.
In a rally at Sonachura, the TMC supremo said that huge amount of cash was being brought from all over the country and "distributed from hotels by the (BJP) ministers" to lure people cast their votes in favour of Adhikari.
"This is the money of PM Cares Fund, this is unaccounted cash amassed during demonetisation, this is the cash having swelled their coffers after sale of PSUs," she alleged.

At the second meeting at Basulichak, she said, "several ministers from BJP-ruled states and Central ministers are behind distribution of cash."
The feisty Bengal leader also asked at Basulichak "why more than 100 cars are in the convoy of Union home minister Amit Shah while not more than 5 vehicles are allowed in a convoy during elections?
"Nandigram stands for united battle against forcible land acquisition participated by different communities. Be on guard against any bid to fuel tension by keeping any object in places of worship. We are all united. Defeat riot mongering BJP," she said.
The feisty TMC leader has been campaigning extensively in Nandigram and even held a road show in the constituency on Monday.
BJP's show of strength
While Mamata put up a display of fierce resolve, the BJP too unleashed its star power on the final day of campaigning.
In a mega show of strength, Amit Shah held a massive roadshow in support of party candidate Suvendu Adhikari.
Both the leaders were received by a sea of supporters gathered along the road between Bethuria and Rayapara.

Chants of "Jai Shri Ram" filled the air as the leaders atop a gaily festooned campaign vehicle with posters screaming "Banglay Ebar Asol Poriborton" choked the four-kilometre stretch on the same day when Banerjee, too, was scheduled for canvassing in Nandigram.
Shah said the people's response has made it clear who is going to win in Nandigram.
"It's BJP everywhere in West Bengal! I am sure that Nandigram will turn out to be the epicentre of Poriborton in Bengal. Have a look at these pictures from the streets of Nandigram," tweeted Shah hours later as he already embarked on two other roadshows in Debra in Paschim Medinipur and Panskura Paschim in Purba Medinipur. He shared a number of photographs that showed the crowd frenzy.
"Seeing the enthusiasm among the people of Nandigram, it is clear that BJP's candidate Suvendu Adhikari is going to win from Nandigram. The easiest way to bring 'poribartan' (change) is to make sure Mamata Didi loses from here," he told the crowd and later tweeted in Bangla.
The Union minister also brought up the issue of women's safety in the state.
"After reaching here, I got a sad piece of news. A woman was raped within a 5-km radius of the place where Mamata Banerjee is staying. If a woman can be raped at a time when she is present in the area, how can women be safe and secure?" he said.
He further targeted Banerjee saying, "The elderly mother of a BJP worker was thrashed. She died yesterday. But Mamata Didi speaks of women's security. People of West Bengal are well aware of this contradiction."

Bengal's megastar Mithun Chakraborty and Union minister Dharamendra Pradhan also campaigned in Nandigram in support of Adhikari during the day.
Keenly-watched contest
Nandigram in East Midnapore has been at the centre of political campaigning for the second phase where BJP's Suvendu Adhikari is battling for political survival against his former mentor Mamata Banerjee.
The agrarian constituency, which shot to prominence in 2007 during the anti-land acquisition movement, shook the very base of the three and half-decade-old Left Front regime in West Bengal and propelled the TMC to power in 2011. It is now divided between its "Didi" (Mamata Banerjee) and "Dada" (Adhikari)".
Adhikari, who has quit TMC and is now fighting on a BJP ticket, said "I have faced many tough challenges in life. I will succeed this time too. I am never afraid of anyone or of speaking the truth".
More than a political fight, the battle for Nandigram has turned into one of prestige and has assumed the proportions of a personal fight to decide who owns the legacy of the Nandigram movement Banerjee or Adhikari.
"I fought the battle all alone here, facing attacks and threats to my life. Those who are now claiming the legacy of the historic Nandigram movement did nothing except deriving political benefits from it.
"I am fighting for Nandigram, for the people of Bengal," the 50-year-old BJP leader told PTI while on campaign trail in Nandigram.
For Adhikari the poll battle in Nandigram has become one for political survival as a defeat will deal a devastating blow and might also put a question mark on his political graph in his new party - the BJP.
On the other hand, a victory would not only establish him as one of the tallest BJP leaders in Bengal but would push him miles ahead of others in the chief ministerial race if the party is voted to power.

Stage set for second phase
Meanwhile, the stage is set for the second of the eight-phase elections in West Bengal.
On April 1, the fate of 171 candidates will be decided by 75,94,549 voters who will exercise their franchise in 10,620 polling booths spread across the 30 constituencies.
All the booths where polling will be held in the second phase have been declared as "sensitive" by the EC, poll panel sources it said.
It will deploy total 651 companies of Central Armed Police for this phase of election which will be held in Bankura (Part II), Purba Medinipur (Part II), Paschim Medinipur (Part II) and South 24 Parganas (Part I), they said.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)