West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo, Mamata Banerjee, declared that she will contest Bengal Polls from Nandigram which is due in May against former colleague Suvendu Adhikari who had recently joined BJP.
Addressing the Nandigram rally, Mamata Banerjee said, "I want to request Subrata Bakshi [TMC general secretary], it is my wish, I will not neglect Bhabanipur, I will give good candidate [for Bhabanipur] but I want my name in Nandigram. Due to my love for Nandigram, I could not control my emotions".
"If possible, I will contest from both Bhowanipore and Nandigram. In case I am unable to contest from Bhawanipore, someone else would contest," she said.
Attacking Suvendu Adhikari on leaving TMC, Ms Banerjee said, it was "good some people have left (TMC)".
"Some are moving from here to there. They will be fought by our local leaders, don't worry, these guys were not there when the Trinamool Congress was formed. It is good some people have left," Mamata Banerjee said.
Alleging that BJP leaders have threatened who's leaving the party, Mamata said, "There are some in politics who are greedy. Then some have loads of money, so to save that money, they have gone to the BJP.”
Ms Banerjee took the opportunity to criticise BJP for its Farm Laws and said that NDA wants to loot the farmers.
"Nandigram showed the way, today farmers in Punjab are agitating. We are with the farmers. BJP must withdraw the three farm laws,” Mamata Banerjee.
Declaring TMCs win in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, Mamata said TMC will win 211 seats and BJP will win only 51 constituencies.
Mamata’s return to Nandigram is an open challenge to Suvendu Adhikari who pioneered the departure of Trinamool leaders to BJP. It will be interesting to see how she will take on her once-trusted ally, now an important coin in Bengal.