West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had earlier announced that she would contest from Nandigram assembly constituency in the upcoming assembly elections, will file her nomination from the seat on March 10. In Nandigram, she is likely to face Suvendu Adhikari as her BJP rival; he was once was her right hand man and virtually the architect of the Trinamool Congress's 2011 campaign focused on the fight for farmers' land being taken over for industrial purposes. In January, she had declared that she would contest from Nandigram.
"I will contest from Nandigram. Nandigram is my lucky place," she had said, urging voters of her Bhowanipore constituency to understand her decision. "Nandigram is my big sister, Bhawanipore is my younger sister...I will fight from both if possible. In case I am unable to contest from Bhawanipore, someone else would contest," she had later added. No candidate above 80 will contest from the Trinamool Congress, the Chief Minister announced. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee facing a tough challenge from the BJP amid an exodus from her Trinamool Congress to the BJP and corruption investigations against her party leaders.
Key Dates in West Bengal
March 27 - Phase 1
April 2 - Phase 2
April 16 - Phase 3
April 10 - Phase 4
April 17 - Phase 5
April 22 - Phase 6
April 26 - Phase - 7
April 28 - Phase 8
Counting of votes - May 2