17 Years After Nano Exit, Didi Green Signals Rs 1-Lakh EV Rollout

The Singur movement not only altered Bengal’s industrial trajectory but also marked one of the biggest power shifts in the state’s history — from the Left Front to Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress. Yet, the Nano car exit in 2008 left an enduring scar, branding Didi as “anti-industry” despite her repeated efforts to change that perception. Seventeen years later, the narrative seems to be coming full circle, with electric vehicle manufacturer Cynosure announced plans to launch a four-wheeler priced below Rs 1 lakh from Sugandha in Hooghly district — just 17 km away from Singur, where Ratan Tata’s dream project had collapsed in 2008. Cynosure revealed its plan at the launch of its electric three-wheeler in Kolkata and the prototype of the car would be unveiled after Diwali, with a commercial rollout targeted for January 2026. According to co-founder Sampurna Ghosh, the fully battery-operated vehicle will seat four passengers, including the driver with an aim to make personal cars affordable for the middle and lower-middle-class families. Sources said that the car’s final name would be decided by the chief minister. Political observers have pointed out that the announcement carries political undertones just ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, as it can be recalled that in 2008, Tata Motors withdrew from Singur after completing 80% of the factory, blaming Mamata then opposition leader. The project later shifted to Gujarat. Didi has since maintained that her fight was against the Left’s forcible land acquisition policy, not against Tata.