Ritobrat’s Big Nandigram Move: Minority Candidate From Kolkata Enters Mamata’s Turf

Nandigram has once again become the centre of attention ahead of the by-election, with both the Mamata Banerjee camp and the Ritbrata Banerjee-led camp announcing surprise candidates.
Mamata Banerjee announced Sanchita Pradhan Dey, a teacher who lost her job, as the candidate for Nandigram on Sunday evening. The announcement came after days of speculation that Mamata herself could contest from the seat.
On Monday, the Ritbrata Banerjee camp announced its candidate for Nandigram. In another surprise move, it chose Ehteshamul Haque, a minority candidate from Kolkata.
But who is Ehteshamul Haque?
Haque’s name came as a surprise to many in Nandigram. Several local leaders were reportedly unfamiliar with him after his candidature was announced.
Haque is a resident of Kolkata and has been brought from the city to contest the Nandigram seat. However, he says he is not an outsider.
Speaking to TV9 Bangla, Haque said he has been active in politics since 2017. He said that although he is not a native of Nandigram, he has relatives there and has visited the area for political campaigning.
He also claimed that he has worked as a general secretary of the state Trinamool Congress and has campaigned during elections since 2017.
‘I want Mamata’s blessings’
After getting the ticket, Haque thanked Ritbrata Banerjee and Arup Roy. He also said that he wants to contest the election with the blessings of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Haque said he considers Mamata like an elder sister and claimed that he would withdraw from the contest if Mamata herself decided to contest from Nandigram.
He expressed confidence about winning the election and said that the main fight would be against the BJP.
Minority vote becomes the big question
Haque’s candidature has now triggered political discussion over the minority vote in Nandigram.
A section of political observers believes that choosing a minority candidate could be a strategic move by the Ritbrata camp. Nandigram Block 1 has a sizeable minority population, and Mamata Banerjee has traditionally received strong support from the area.
The question now is whether Ritbrata’s camp is trying to create a split in Mamata’s traditional minority support by fielding a minority candidate.
Haque himself appealed to minority voters not to divide their votes and asked them to vote for him.
With two Trinamool camps now facing each other and the BJP also in the contest, Nandigram could see another high-voltage political battle.