BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari did not change his spots on polling day as he moved around Nandigram on Thursday sporting a rare bravado but not forgetting to play the polarisation card at every possible opportunity.
“(She is a) 66-year-old aunty. Aunty ko thoda shaant rehna chahiye (aunty should keep her cool)… (She) shouldn’t resort to Gundagiri (hooliganism). Vikas (development) will win, appeasement politics will lose…Begum will lose,” Suvendu told journalists and the comment drew cheers of “Jai Shri Ram” from BJP supporters gathered around him.
Suvendu was referring to chief minister Mamata Banerjee with whom he parted ways a little over four months ago.
As the polling progressed on Thursday, Suvendu invoked his agenda of polarisation on multiple occasions. Talking to journalists later in the day, Suvendu said 60 per cent of those who shout “Jai Shri Ram, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Jai Maa Kali” and celebrate Durga Puja had cast their votes by 12 noon.
Throughout Thursday, journalists followed Suvendu around the constituency and he used every moment of the attention he got to show off his confidence as he fought the toughest poll battle of his life.
It was around 7.30 in the morning that Suvendu rode pillion on a two-wheeler to the school as the road to the booth was too narrow for his vehicle. It was while leaving the polling station that Suvendu referred to Mamata as a “66-year-old aunty”.
Typical of a BJP follower, Suvendu wore a saffron tilak and a saffron scarf throughout the day.
Every time Suvendu spoke to journalists, he sounded confident. Sometime he would refer to Nandigram’s polls as a revolution, sometime he would say at least 85 per cent votes would be cast in favour of change.
While travelling through Satengabari in Nandigram block 2, some pelted his car and convoy with stones. One of the cars suffered damage. These men, which the BJP alleged were Trinamul supporters, also raised “Go back” and “Joy Bangla” slogans.
Suvendu used the opportunity to play the polarisation card once again and said the Trinamul supporters were shouting slogans raised in Bangladesh.
“Till now, there was no resistance, no opposition. Hence, there was no complaint. This time, there is great competition. Trinamul is desperate. There are 12 booths in the gram panchayat. That community has presence in two booths. The attack happened there. In the rest of the booths, there are devotees of Jai Shri Ram and Maa Kali,” Suvendu said without clarifying which community he meant.
He also said the model of Sheikh Sufiyan, who is Mamata’s election agent, would not work in Nandigram anymore.
After visiting a dozen booths, Suvendu received information that Mamata had gone to a booth at Boyal. After about two hours, when Mamata left the booth, Suvendu visited the area in the evening. He assured local BJP workers there that they would be able to cast their votes.
“Nandigram’s Trinamul candidate had been sitting for long inside the booth…Ordinary voters couldn’t cast their votes,” he alleged adding that a complaint would be lodged with the Election Commission.
Suvendu, who was never in dearth of confidence on Thursday, said he was happy with the performance of the paramilitary forces and the Election Commission.
“I’ve no complaints…Healthy polling is on…” he told journalists.
