Nandigram, July 12: The ruling Trinamool Congress faced a significant setback in Nandigram, East Midnapore district, which is considered a stronghold of Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in the state Assembly.
Despite maintaining a lead over the opposition parties in most parts of West Bengal during the panchayat polls, the Trinamool Congress experienced a major blow in Nandigram.
Suvendu Adhikari, who is also the BJP MLA from Nandigram, defeated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by a margin of 1,956 votes in the 2021 Assembly elections. The BJP’s performance in the panchayat polls was particularly notable in the village panchayat areas of Boyal-I, Boyal-II, Khodambari-I, and Khodambari-II under the Nandigram-II block.
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Out of the total 61-gram panchayat seats, BJP candidates have either won or are leading in 37 seats, while Trinamool nominees are at 23 seats, and there is one Independent candidate.
In Boyal-I, BJP candidates have secured victory or a lead in eight out of the 13 seats, while Trinamool has five seats. In Boyal-II, the BJP is leading in nine seats, with Trinamool securing six seats and one going to an Independent candidate. In Khodambari-I, BJP has won eight out of 15 seats, closely followed by Trinamul at seven seats. In Khodambari-II, BJP has secured 12 out of the 17 seats, with Trinamul securing five seats.
The results in Nandigram signify the people’s rejection of Trinamool wherever they were able to resist the ruling party’s strong-arm tactics and exercise their voting rights.
