West Bengal politics: CPI(M) party office in Nandigram reopens after 12 years

Over the past few years the party has rarely been able to campaign but now it is slowly gaining ground, Anup Pal, a party member said.

He also added that some ruling TMC activists were showing 'soft attitudes to us." This softening may have a realpolitik, reason as one enters Nandigram in Tamluk loksabha constituency.

BJP seems to have an edge here in Nandigram bloc 1, which falls partly in Tamluk and partly in Kanthi going to polls on May 12, the 6th phase poll in West Bengal.

Both these seats are dominated by the Adhikary family for more than a decade now. Sisir, the patriarch is contesting from Kanthi and his son Dibyendu from Tamluk.

A TMC leader thinks that this will be a cakewalk victory for both of them.

'But it's not a question of simply winning," Shyamal Adak a confidante of Adhikary family said, "it's a question of increasing the margin" he added.

But when asked for a comment on the reopening of CPI(M) office here, Adak gives a guarded comment" " Every party has a democratic right."

Former CPI(M) strongman Laxman Seth, who had been three-time MP from Tamluk on CPI(M) ticket, said TMC was trying to energise the Left so that the anti-TMC vote can be split. As part of the plan CPI(M ) party offices are being opened." However BJP is not a serious contender here both in Tamluk and Kanthi, observers feel here.