Nandigram has been a political hotspot of West Bengal for years now, and last May, the nation saw one of the much-talked about electoral battles between Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee and BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari who won the assembly seat.
In 2011, the Nandigram battle overthrew the 34-year-old rule of the Left Front in West Bengal, and propelled the TMC to power.
News18 visited Nandigram to find out how much of development has taken place in the region, which has often been mired in controversies such as the farmland agitation that changed the political landscape of West Bengal.
As one enters Nandigram from Chandipur in West Bengal, one sees new roads and repair works on your way, and locals, including small businessmen and shopkeepers speak about development. Dulal Maity, a shop owner, says, “We thought we will not get development as we could not get Mamata Didi as our MLA, but let’s be frank, developmental work is taking place. There are problems with the water supply and some other things but we see people are working.”
According to the sources in the administration, nearly 80 roads, which were developed and maintained by the Public Works Department (PWD) and Panchayat have been markings on them. Locals say till the last year, there only few roads in the region.
The bride connecting Haldia and Nandigram on river Haldi has been in talks for several years now. In election meetings, both TMC and BJP said they will make the bridge in the region. Sources in the state administration say they are awaiting Centre’s nod as “everything is ready” regarding the bridge.
Adhikari had met road, transport and highway minister Nitin Gadkari last year and urged him “to expedite the construction work for early completion of NH34”.
Abu Taher, a local TMC leader, says, “Whatever work is done here (Nandigram) has been done by the state government. The MLA has not done anything. Our chief minister’s motive is development.”
Another TMC leader, Mahadev Bag, holding an important post in Panchayat Samithi, said, “Huge development is taking place in Nandigram Block 2 and everything is done by Didi (Mamata Banerjee). We can’t see any work done by the MLA here.”
The BJP, however, says that MLA Adhikari has done “huge work”. BJP leader Saheb Das told News18, “Suvendu Adhikari has always been doing (work) for Nandigram. He stands by the people always. After (cyclone) Amphan, he did everything. He comes here every time. They don’t allow our MLA to work.” The leader alleged that the MLA’s proposals are sometimes do not get clearance from the state government. “Still he does everything on his own,” Das said.
Such is the state of affairs that a bamboo bridge, which was broken four months ago has not been repaired yet. Bajashpathi Jana, a resident here, said, “Our bridge is broken but no work has been done so far. If we tell this to the MLA, then his workers say he is not allowed to work. So what do we do?”
Another local resident, Pratap Chandra Maity, told News18, “We don’t have 100 days’ work. We are tired of saying this. We need a tube well and so far we have not got one. We don’t know which way to go to – Dada (Adhikari) or Didi’s (Banerjee).”
The TMC has alleged the Centre is withholding funds, which the state government wants to spend on the welfare schemes for women and their development and employment. Banerjee said on Sunday that the TMC will organise protests on June 5 and 6, seeking an explanation from the central government for alleged non-payment of funds marked for West Bengal.
Read all the Latest India News here
