Kolkata, March 20 (NationPress) Just hours prior to the announcement of the Trinamool Congress candidate list on March 17 for the upcoming two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal, there was widespread uncertainty about who would represent the party in Nandigram, located in the East Midnapore district, against the sitting two-term legislator and Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari.

Clarity emerged just an hour before the official announcement when the party swiftly facilitated the transition of Pabitra Kar, a local BJP figure from Nandigram and a former ally of Adhikari, to join Trinamool Congress.

The grand reception for Kar, attended by Trinamool Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee, strongly indicated that Kar would be the ruling party's candidate against Adhikari in his territorial stronghold.

Subsequently, the candidate list confirmed Kar as Trinamool's representative from Nandigram.

Political analysts believe that, given the current landscape in East Midnapore, particularly in Nandigram, Kar is the most viable contender against Adhikari, thanks to his extensive grassroots connections and insight into Adhikari's strengths and vulnerabilities.

A political analyst from the city highlighted that since the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, East Midnapore has been closely linked with the Adhikari family and Trinamool Congress. However, following the 2021 Assembly elections, the district has remained a stronghold for Adhikari, who shifted his allegiance to the BJP.

This stronghold persisted during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when BJP candidates secured victories in both East Midnapore constituencies by substantial margins.

In light of this situation, Trinamool Congress sought a candidate with deep local roots, leading to Kar's selection.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, Adhikari triumphed in Nandigram by a narrow margin of less than 2,000 votes, defeating Trinamool's candidate, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who subsequently won a by-election in Bhabanipur, South Kolkata, securing her position for a third consecutive term.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Nandigram contributed to BJP’s winning candidate from Tamluk, former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, with a margin of 7,298 votes.

This time, Adhikari is contesting simultaneously from Bhabanipur, where Trinamool Congress has nominated the Chief Minister again.

The schedule of the two-phase elections allows Adhikari to balance his campaigning efforts across both constituencies.

Nandigram is set to vote in the first phase on April 23, while Bhabanipur will cast its votes in the second phase on April 29.