Nandigram, Dec. 21: Mamata Banerjee today announced that Trinamul MP Subhendu Adhikari would contest the Assembly polls from Nandigram.

"I want Subhendu to work for Bengal and he will be the candidate from here. I know he is an MP but I want him to join the cabinet," Mamata said in Tekhali this afternoon.

The decision, sources said, was aimed at containing rifts in Trinamul in East Midnapore and giving more space to her nephew, party MP Abhishek Banerjee, in Delhi.

Subhendu had been replaced by Abhishek as president of the Trinamul Youth Congress last year.

"Subhendu is young and a visible face in Delhi.... If he is restricted to the state, Abhishek will have more space in Delhi. This suggests Didi wants to use her nephew more prominently in national politics," a Trinamul source said.

Some Trinamul leaders said the sitting Nandigram MLA, Feroza Bibi, was "not popular" among residents and there had been demands from a section in the party to replace her.

"Subhendu is like my son. He is the foremost leader in Nandigram. I am not unhappy," Feroza said.

Subhendu said: "Whatever the chief minister wishes will be done."