The gruelling poll campaign seems to have tired out the leaders, many of whom took a Nabobarsho break either to relax at home or simply to “have fun” with the electorate.
While Nationalist Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee spent the morning at the Punjabee Badree New Year celebrations, CPI(M) leader Rabin Deb went to meet youngsters at a swimming event.
Banerjee has been observing the Punjabee Badree New Year’s behind the Mohun Bagan Club at Maidan for years now. With no key meetings lined up for Thursday, she spent the evening attending another social do at the Dr B.R. Ambedkar centenary celebrations at Mathpukur.
“There is no point in having meetings on Bengali New Year’s Day. People are in no mood to talk politics today. They would rather have fun and frolic. So Didi today wanted to lend a personal touch at social functions,” said sources close to Mamata.
Manas Bhuniya, state Congress general secretary, however, would not like to just have fun today. “We want Mamata to declare her stand on the Narendra Modi brand of politics today. She has to come clean on her relationship with a government which backs communal politics,” said the senior Congress leader.
Mamata’s rival candidate from the Congress, Nafisa Ali, however had a “working” Poila Baisakh beginning with prayers at the Kalighat temple. She then walked around the slums near Jadu Bazar area and exchanged pleasantries with her electorate.
{{/usCountry}}Mamata’s rival candidate from the Congress, Nafisa Ali, however had a “working” Poila Baisakh beginning with prayers at the Kalighat temple. She then walked around the slums near Jadu Bazar area and exchanged pleasantries with her electorate.
{{/usCountry}}After the tiring padayatras, Nafisa went to Calcutta Club for a luncheon date with her friends.
“After all, I grew up at the Calcutta Club. I am meeting all my friends here today since everybody is in a festive mood and I need to discuss my political ideals informally with them.
This is campaigning of a different order,” Ali told the Hindustan Times. The former beauty queen wrapped up the day at a glitzy dinner party at the Tolly Club.
Another Congress candidate and film star Mousumi Chatterjee also met people in her constituency in the morning and rounded off the day with a large closed-door meeting in ward no 28.
CPI(M) leader Rabin Deb took the day off from the gruelling poll schedule to meet the youngsters at a swimming event and at the B R Ambedkar centenary celebrations at Tiljala. “I have always celebrated Polia Baisakh in a different way—by mingling with the crowds, not by holding huge meetings,” said Deb.