In battleground Nandigram, ISF’s Abbas Siddiqui draws large crowd

Abbas Siddiqui, the Indian Secular Front (ISF) chief, visited Nandigrm to drum up support for Minakshi Mukherjee, a 36-year-old first-time contestant who has been fielded by the Left-Congress-ISF alliance against CM Banerjee and Adhikari.

ISF supremo Abbas Siddiqui at Feb 28 Left-Cong-ISF rally. (File photo)

Nandigram is poised for a high-stakes battle between two heavyweights—West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her former protege Suvendu Adhikari who has switched over to the BJP.

However, the town witnessed a large crowd for another key player—Abbas Siddiqui, the Indian Secular Front (ISF) chief, who came here to drum up support for Minakshi Mukherjee, a 36-year-old first-time contestant who has been fielded by the Left-Congress-ISF alliance against CM Banerjee and Adhikari.

“I had no plans to visit Nandigram again, but here my younger daughter (Minakshi) is fighting bravely. So, I decided to come here again before the election,” Siddiqui said while addressing the gathering. ISF had organised a rally for their two candidates–Minakshi from Nandigram and Ashish Guchhait from Chandipur.

“We do not want to beg. We need work, we need employment. We want the youth to select his or her job as per their requirement and choice. After forming the United Front government, we will bring employment,” Siddiqui said while drawing loud cheers from the audience.

The ISF supremo further mounted an attack on CM Banerjee and accused her of creating friction within communities.

“Mamata Banerjee had allied with the BJP in 1998. She had promised BJP then that she would make space for BJP in the state. She divided us. Historically, CPM and Congress have fought against the BJP in the state. In 34 years of Left rule, we never faced any Hindu-Muslim confrontation,” Siddiqui said while appealing the gathering to vote for the United Front.

Nandigram will go to the polls in the second phase on April 1.

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More