'Bhabanipur is my younger sister': Mamata Banerjee may contest from two constituencies

Kolkata, Jan 18: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has on Monday announced that she will contest the upcoming Bengal election from Nandigram, the epicenter of a farmers' movement that propelled her to power in the state 10 years ago.

The announcement is significant as Nandigram is the constituency of her former close aide Suvendu Adhikari, who had recently quit the TMC and joined the BJP.

In the last election, Banerjee had contested from Bhabanipur in Kolkata.

Addressing the Nandigram rally, Mamata Banerjee said, "I want to request Subrata Bakshi [TMC general secretary], it is my wish, I will not neglect Bhabanipur, I will give good candidate [for Bhabanipur] but I want my name in Nandigram. Due to my love for Nandigram, I could not control my emotions".

"Nandigram is my big sister, Bhabanipur is my younger sister...I will fight from both if possible. In case I am unable to contest from Bhabanipore, someone else would contest."

Mamata Banerjee, during the rally, went on to take a dig at Suvendu Adhikari, who recently left TMC to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying it was "good some people have left [TMC]".

"Some are moving from here to there. They will be fought by our local leaders, don't worry, these guys were not there when the Trinamool Congress was formed. It is good some people have left," Mamata Banerjee said.