Kolkata, March 18 (IANS) Pabitra Kar, a former BJP strongman from Nandigram who joined the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday, received a party ticket to contest against Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari. ​

Speaking to IANS, Kar expressed confidence that the Trinamool would win the Nandigram Assembly constituency by a margin of 30,000 votes.​

“The results for Nandigram will be a positive one for the Trinamool. I joined with a positive mindset today. I wish to remain positive. I am confident that we will win the election by a margin of 30,000 votes. I am fortunate that the party gave me the ticket on the day I joined them. On May 4 (counting of votes), we will play with green colour after our electoral victory,” Kar said.​

Earlier in the day, Kar joined the Trinamool Congress in the presence of the party’s All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.​

The party said Kar was not satisfied with the BJP in West Bengal and therefore decided to join the ruling party in the state.​

The development came a day after the BJP announced that LoP Suvendu Adhikari would contest the Assembly elections not only from his own Nandigram constituency but also from Bhabanipur in Kolkata, where the sitting legislator, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is also the BJP's candidate.​

As the Trinamool Congress announced that Mamata Banerjee would contest from Bhabanipur again, it will mark the second time she will be pitted against Adhikari after the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.​

Adhikari was elected as a legislator from Nandigram for the second consecutive time in 2021, defeating then Trinamool Congress candidate Mamata Banerjee.​

Later, Banerjee was elected from Bhabanipur in a by‑election and retained the post of Chief Minister for the third consecutive term.​

In a bid to give Adhikari tough competition, the Trinamool Congress decided to field a BJP strongman from Nandigram and has now pitted Kar against him.​

--IANS

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