Suvendu's plant charge to Nandigram battle: Pabitra Kar's tell-all after BJP exit
Once a close aide of Suvendu Adhikari, Pabitra Kar created a stir after defecting to the TMC from the BJP ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections. In an exclusive interview with India Today, Kar speaks on why he jumped ship, his equation with Suvendu and who will win the Nandigram battle.
Pabitra Kar's sudden defection to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from the BJP has created a stir in West Bengal's politics, especially in Nandigram. Once a close aide of Suvendu Adhikari, Kar is now the Trinamool candidate against him, making it a mouthwatering contest.
Kar's switch is being viewed as a big gain for the ruling Trinamool, given Kar's intimate knowledge of the BJP's organisational structure in the region and his instrumental role in building the party's presence. Political analysts had previously lauded him as a key architect behind Suvendu's rise to power, but his sudden switch to the TMC, reportedly facilitated by Abhishek Banerjee, has turned the tables.
For the TMC, Nandigram holds symbolic significance. The party came to power by spearheading the anti-land acquisition agitation that began in Nandigram in 2007.
Now, in an exclusive interview with India Today, Kar explained why he jumped ship and the factors that led him to abandon his BJP roots.
1) You went to the TMC from the BJP. What's behind this sudden change?
In Nandigram, none of the old-guard BJP members is receiving any recognition or importance. Nandigram has been plagued by multiple politically motivated false cases. The people are seeking relief from this burden. It felt as though the party was being run like a private limited company. The decision (to join TMC) was taken after gauging the public mood.
2) You approached Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee to join TMC?
It was I who initiated the proposal to join TMC. However, the decision regarding my candidacy was made entirely by them. Mamata Banerjee's political stature and reach are immense. The Trinamool Congress is not new to me. I have simply returned home.
3) Have you faced any humiliation from Suvendu Adhukari?
My relationship with Suvendu is not nearly as acrimonious as it is often portrayed. I spoke with Suvendu 15 days before I left the BJP. He did not impose any conditions. My sole demand was for political autonomy and independence.
4) What is the target given by the TMC?
My only target is to help the party reclaim the political ground in Nandigram. We are poised to win by a margin of over 30,000 votes.
5) There have been allegations that Suvendu has planted you in TMC ahead of the polls.
The truth will be out on May 4. I am not the kind of man who bows his head before Suvendu Adhikari. When Suvendu was a cabinet minister (in Mamata's government), I contested as an independent and successfully captured the gram panchayat under his nose. Everyone in Nandigram knows that Suvendu's victory in 2021 was built entirely upon the organisation I painstakingly nurtured, brick by brick.
6) Can Suvendu Adhikari win from Kalighat against Mamata Banerjee?
Suvendu will lose in both constituencies: Bhabanipur and Nandigram. His close aides are drifting away from him. He is headed for defeat.
7) What's your take on the minority vote bank in Nandigram?
The minority community is not a separate entity. They have placed their trust and confidence in us. Suvendu has repeatedly attacked a specific community using obscene and abusive language. It is quite evident that they will not look upon him favourably.
8) What is your main agenda to win the election against Suvendu Adhikari?
I am demanding a Nandigram free from the burden of false and fabricated legal cases. No development whatsoever has taken place in Nandigram. The people require social benefits. Nandigram is both my birthplace and my workplace. No one can ever accuse me of having misappropriated even a single penny.
Elections 2026 | West Bengal Election | West Bengal Election Constituencies | West Bengal Election Schedule
Pabitra Kar's sudden defection to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from the BJP has created a stir in West Bengal's politics, especially in Nandigram. Once a close aide of Suvendu Adhikari, Kar is now the Trinamool candidate against him, making it a mouthwatering contest.
Kar's switch is being viewed as a big gain for the ruling Trinamool, given Kar's intimate knowledge of the BJP's organisational structure in the region and his instrumental role in building the party's presence. Political analysts had previously lauded him as a key architect behind Suvendu's rise to power, but his sudden switch to the TMC, reportedly facilitated by Abhishek Banerjee, has turned the tables.
For the TMC, Nandigram holds symbolic significance. The party came to power by spearheading the anti-land acquisition agitation that began in Nandigram in 2007.
Now, in an exclusive interview with India Today, Kar explained why he jumped ship and the factors that led him to abandon his BJP roots.
1) You went to the TMC from the BJP. What's behind this sudden change?
In Nandigram, none of the old-guard BJP members is receiving any recognition or importance. Nandigram has been plagued by multiple politically motivated false cases. The people are seeking relief from this burden. It felt as though the party was being run like a private limited company. The decision (to join TMC) was taken after gauging the public mood.
2) You approached Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee to join TMC?
It was I who initiated the proposal to join TMC. However, the decision regarding my candidacy was made entirely by them. Mamata Banerjee's political stature and reach are immense. The Trinamool Congress is not new to me. I have simply returned home.
3) Have you faced any humiliation from Suvendu Adhukari?
My relationship with Suvendu is not nearly as acrimonious as it is often portrayed. I spoke with Suvendu 15 days before I left the BJP. He did not impose any conditions. My sole demand was for political autonomy and independence.
4) What is the target given by the TMC?
My only target is to help the party reclaim the political ground in Nandigram. We are poised to win by a margin of over 30,000 votes.
5) There have been allegations that Suvendu has planted you in TMC ahead of the polls.
The truth will be out on May 4. I am not the kind of man who bows his head before Suvendu Adhikari. When Suvendu was a cabinet minister (in Mamata's government), I contested as an independent and successfully captured the gram panchayat under his nose. Everyone in Nandigram knows that Suvendu's victory in 2021 was built entirely upon the organisation I painstakingly nurtured, brick by brick.
6) Can Suvendu Adhikari win from Kalighat against Mamata Banerjee?
Suvendu will lose in both constituencies: Bhabanipur and Nandigram. His close aides are drifting away from him. He is headed for defeat.
7) What's your take on the minority vote bank in Nandigram?
The minority community is not a separate entity. They have placed their trust and confidence in us. Suvendu has repeatedly attacked a specific community using obscene and abusive language. It is quite evident that they will not look upon him favourably.
8) What is your main agenda to win the election against Suvendu Adhikari?
I am demanding a Nandigram free from the burden of false and fabricated legal cases. No development whatsoever has taken place in Nandigram. The people require social benefits. Nandigram is both my birthplace and my workplace. No one can ever accuse me of having misappropriated even a single penny.
Elections 2026 | West Bengal Election | West Bengal Election Constituencies | West Bengal Election Schedule
