Even just an hour before announcing the candidate list for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress kept the Nandigram candidate a mystery. Pabitra Kar, a former local BJP leader and close associate of the opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari, was swiftly welcomed into Trinamool Congress, indicating he would challenge Adhikari in Nandigram.
Kar’s formal inclusion in the candidate list as the Trinamool nominee for Nandigram was confirmed later. Observers believe that Kar, with his deep local connections and understanding of Adhikari’s political dynamics, is a strategic choice against the opposition leader in East Midnapore.
The Adhikari family’s stronghold in East Midnapore, particularly Nandigram, shifted to BJP post-2021 Assembly elections. Trinamool Congress strategically selected Kar, a local figure, to contest against Adhikari in the upcoming polls. Adhikari, contesting from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, faces a challenging electoral landscape.
Nandigram, where Adhikari won by a narrow margin in 2021, will vote in the first phase on April 23. The second phase on April 29 will see Bhabanipur, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting. Adhikari’s dual campaign strategy aims to secure victories in both constituencies.
