From participating in colourful processions, to organizing community celebrations, distributing sweets and gulal, and attending get-togethers in the evening — Holi in Bengal’s poll season is prompting many a candidate to use several novel ways to reach out to and bond with voters.
Be it the ruling Trinamool or the Congress or the BJP, barring the Left parties, nominees of most parties have drawn up elaborate plans to ‘celebrate Holi with the masses’. And though Left candidates will not play Holi with the people, they may attend small get-togethers on March 23 evening.
“Like every year, this time too I will play Holi with the people. We will take part in processions, complete with songs and dances. I am busy in door-to-door campaign for over six hours a day. But on the day of Holi, everything will be special,” said Sovondeb Chatterjee, Trinamool candidate from Rashbehari constituency.
Bags full of gulal have already been stocked up in party offices and green gulal, the colour of the Trinamool, is topping the sales charts. Trinamool heavyweights Subrata Mukherjee, Sovon Chatterjee and Firhad Hakim, all featuring in the Narada sting op, will celebrate Holi in their neighbourhoods.
Ritesh Tiwari, the BJP candidate from Chowringhee, said, “I have been invited at two dozen places. I will try to attend all.”
{{/usCountry}}Ritesh Tiwari, the BJP candidate from Chowringhee, said, “I have been invited at two dozen places. I will try to attend all.”
{{/usCountry}}Rajib Majumder, the CPI(M) candidate from Manicktala, said, “I have many invitations, especially in Hindi-speaking belts. I will surely attend them.”