KOLKATA: Nandigram, which witnessed a controversial defeat of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to the leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari in the last Assembly polls, came to the limelight again on Sunday when BJP snatched away a cooperative body from the ruling Trinamul Congress in an election.
BJP won 11 out of 12 seats at Bhekutia cooperative agriculture samiti under the hot assembly constituency. The lone seat which went to the TMC had a margin of only one vote with the BJP. Both sides had a tussle during the polling and counting which led to tensions and prompted the police to intervene throughout the day.
They also accused each other of false voting. Nandigram TMC block president Bappaditya Kar said, "We sought a free and fair polls. But the villagers protested when they found BJP trying to rig polls with the help of outsiders."
Rejecting his charges, BJP East Midnapore district vice president Proloy Pal said, "Their allegations are baseless. They lose where people can cast their votes freely. This happened in Bhekutia also. TMC tried to win the polls with the help of police but failed."
