Kolkata, May 24 -- Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday accused former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of deliberately stalling key development projects in Nandigram and asserted that his government would now implement all promises made to the people of the Constituency.
Addressing a public meeting in Nandigram during his first visit to the constituency after becoming Chief Minister, Adhikari alleged that projects such as rail connectivity and drinking water infrastructure had been blocked earlier for political reasons.
"I wanted to bring a railway line to Nandigram, but Mamata Banerjee did not allow it. I wanted to bring water, but even pipelines were not permitted," he claimed, while assuring residents that there were now "no obstacles" to development. He said every commitment made during the election campaign would be fulfilled "word for word".
Adhikari also launched a sharp attack on the Trinamool Congress and the Left Front, alleging that decades of "party rule" and corruption had weakened Bengal's administrative structure. Referring to cooperation with the Centre, he said the state would be rebuilt into a "Sonar Bangla" with the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister further alleged that nearly 4,500 BJP supporters had been implicated in "false cases" over the past five years in Nandigram and other areas. While promising legal support to affected workers, he warned alleged "goons" that "everyone will be held accountable", though he urged BJP supporters not to take the law into their own hands.
A significant portion of Adhikari's speech focused on reaffirming his emotional bond with Nandigram despite vacating the Assembly seat after winning from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the Assembly polls.
Calling himself a "relative" of the people, he said his relationship with Nandigram would remain unchanged. Referring to the 2006-07 land agitation that shaped his political rise, Adhikari said he had stood beside the people of Nandigram even before becoming its MLA and would continue to do so in future.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.