If BJP is thinking that it has winning chance in Nandigram, then it is knee-deep wrapped and trapped in illusion. But, anything in possible in politics especially prior to elections, when a party has access to loads of money generated from the electoral bonds sent in by the crony-partners.

In the West Bengal election, the opponents of the land movement are now becoming the face of the BJP in the elections in Nandigram. The land movement had propelled Mamata Banerjee to the role of CM. The BJP leadership, which has lost its way in confronting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is now shaking hands with the ‘Harmad leaders’. Harmad bahini, the mob under the then CPM rule, was involved in violence against the people participating in the Nandigram’s land movement.

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The present role and current orientation of the BJP, in shaking hands with the Harmad people of the CPM has caused intense anger among the land agitators (who had protested against the CPM rule).

Shankar Samanta, a CPM leader had died due to public outrage in 2007 as a consequence of the land movement. His brother Nabakumar Samanta is taking part in the meeting-procession for the local BJP candidate, & is also responsible for voting in Sonachura Gram Panchayat area. A number of cases including those involving murder are pending against Nabakumar, who had been in jail from 2011 to 2014. He left his ancestral home in Nandigram and now lives with his family in Durgachak, Haldia.

Not only Nabakumar, but his associates have also joined the BJP. On the ground, source suggests that Nandigram residents allege that those who carried out unspeakable atrocities during the land movement are becoming the face of BJP’s propaganda in the upcoming state election. Ashish Mandal of Sonachura is the president of the SC Morcha of the BJP’s Nandigram-1 South Mandal. At one time, he had been a member of the CPM’s action squad, Harmad bahini. Cases are pending against him as well. Ashish had also served a term in jail.

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Another of Nabakumar’s associates, Dipan Mandal, is a member of the BJP’s Mandal Committee. He was also a leader in the camp of CPM, & has been accused in multiple cases. Madan Pike is the president of BJP’s Shahid Minar booth No. 27 in Sonachura. Apart from this, Jahar Patra, Srihari Mandal, Balai Patra, Robin Mandal are all BJP booth presidents. There are a bunch of cases registered against them for torturing the protesters during the 2007 Nandigram land movement. Nandigram and its residents are furious that the BJP is holding the hands of the opponents of the land movement to stop the current Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

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A few days ago, a meeting was held by BJP at Sonachura. Shankar Samanta’s brother Nabakumar was present there. Efforts have also been made to provide him security by the central forces. Nabakumar said, “My grandfather was a member of Nandigram-1 Panchayat Samiti run by CPM. Neither my grandfather nor I had party membership. The CPM party has used us. The media advertised that we work for CPM. As a result, we have lost four generations of land and become proletarians. Now I am somehow alive. About 15-16 cases are pending against me. I spent four years in jail. There is a tendency towards BJP. I want to work as a candidate for Nandigram.”

Himanshu Das, a member of the CPM’s district secretariat, said, “Shankar Samanta and Nabakumar Samanta had party membership. Nabakumar has no connection with the BJP now.” This adds to the confusion of the political membership and allegiances of Samantas. But, the security cover for Nabakumar puts him under ire of the local populace.

Ashish Mandal of Sonachura was accused in 12 cases during the land agitation. He had been a leader of a Harmad force in the CPM. Now all that is past. He is now one of the activists of BJP. Ashish said, “There have been numerous false allegations against us. Many have been imprisoned. Some have taken bail from the High Court. We have raised the BJP’s flag against corruption in TMC and misgovernance. The TMC will be washed out clean here.”

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BJP district co-president Praloy Pal said that everything is possible in politics. He added, “Many accused of killing TMC activists are in various positions of the ruling party. We have accepted those who have come to the team in response to the call for poriborton or change.” Mamata Banerjee’s election agent Sheikh Supian said, “BJP was politicizing the Nandigram land movement’s opponents and murderers. The agitators of Nandigram will give the answer of this betrayal.”

According to the people of Nandigram, the BJP leaders who are trying to take credit for the Nandigram land movement should know who persecuted the protesters at that time, and who were jailed on murder charges. BJP is indirectly and possibly intentionally insulting the Nandigram protesters by taking in the CPM-men who were part of the Harmad sena & had served jail-terms.