Kolkata, March 25 (IANS) Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday attacked BJP leader and Nandigram candidate Suvendu Adhikari, accusing him of betraying the people of his constituency and “surrendering” before those who insult Bengalis.

Addressing a workers’ meeting of the Trinamool Congress in Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district, Banerjee said: “The public does not tolerate the politics of betrayal. In a bid to safeguard his personal interests, the leader from here sacrificed the history and honour of the region, going so far as to grovel before those who routinely insult the Bengali people. For all their claims of being one with the people, how consistently has the individual actually stood by the local community?”

The Trinamool Congress leader added: “Nandigram is a stronghold of the Trinamool Congress. I have not come here to launch personal attacks against the individual currently holding office in this constituency; rather, we are here to ensure the victory of our candidate, who embodies the spirit of purity. We have fielded a candidate who is a resident of Nandigram — unlike Suvendu Adhikari, who does not reside here.”

According to him, Suvendu Adhikari does not engage in the politics of providing food, clothing and shelter.

“His politics consists of nothing but saffron flags and the chant of ‘Jai Shri Ram’. To those of you heading out for the campaign: engage in dialogue with the people. Ask them what their needs are and compile a comprehensive list of their requirements,” he said.

Banerjee further said that the upcoming Assembly elections are a battle to “sanctify the soil” of Nandigram and to ensure that development initiatives spearheaded by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee are accelerated in the constituency.

“We must not fall victim to complacency. Over the coming days, we must focus our efforts intensively on those specific booths where our electoral performance was particularly poor during the 2021 and 2024 elections,” he said.

Delivering a stern message to party cadres, Abhishek Banerjee said that every action within the organisation is being closely monitored. He warned that any deviation or collusion with the opposition would be met with zero tolerance.

At the same time, he reassured workers, stating that he has personally taken charge of Nandigram and that the party would stand firmly by them if they face any pressure or intimidation.

–IANS

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