In last year’s Panchayat elections in May, the CPI(M) lost most of the panchayat samiti and gram panchayat seats in Singur block. In contrast, Mamata Banerjee’s party bagged 15 of the 16 gram panchayat seats and all three zilla parishad seats, routing the CPM here.

CPM party leaders point out that Dutta is being showcased almost everywhere, from public gatherings to party meetings. “He has become a symbol of our victory against the odds. He is a model for our cadres at the grassroots level. Initially, there was a feeling among our cadres that we won’t be able to save him from jail. But now, the same cadres are optimistic about him,” says Rupchand.

Trinamool, meanwhile, has put up posters of the teenager’s corpse across Bengal to keep the memory of the murder alive. Her parents are having a hectic time, delivering speeches at numerous rallies. “I am telling the people how much pain my family had to go through after we lost our girl. Mamata Banerjee is my idol and it is her wish that I campaign for Trinamool candidates. CPM leaders have murdered my daughter,” says Monoranjan.

Trinamool candidate Ratna De Nag says, “Tapasi Malik’s family ixs a symbol of CPI(M)’s atrocities.People will drive out CPI(M) not only from Singur, but from Bengal. They are claiming that Suhrid Dutta is innocent; this move will backfire.”

Meanwhile, in this high-pitched counter-campaigning, the issue of Nano returning to Singur has taken a backseat, as has the matter of compensation for those who gave up their land. Madhab Das, 35, of Khaserbheri in Singur, lost 3.5 acres of his land to the Nano project. He is one of the farmers who refused compensation. “I didn’t receive the cheques, now the land is gone as well. The state is responsible for this,” says Madhab.

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