Behrampore holds its breath as Adhir fights battle of his life
Times of India | 13 May 2024
At 12.30 am on Sunday, Adhir Chowdhury drove 4 kilometres from his residence to Kishan Ghosh Lane in Behrampore with his wife, where allegation of molestation of a homemaker had surfaced. He stayed there for two hours and had a tiff with policemen before returning home. He was back at the party office on Sunday afternoon, where he held a press conference and began handling poll strategy for the big Monday all by himself.
At 11 am, his opponent, ex-cricketer Yusuf Pathan - member of two World Cup winning Indian squad (2007 and 2011) - came down from his hotel room and went on a round of party offices across the constituency and met important Trinamool Congress functionaries discussing last-minute strategy as planned by the party.
Videos02:14Rs 1 Lakh...': Sonia Gandhi's 'Guarantee' For Poor Woman If Cong Comes to Power I Watch1 hour ago03:13'Fake: BJP Rubbishes Kejriwal's Guarantee Of Free Electricity For Poor Nationwide If Wins19 hours ago04:39Karnataka general elections record 70.6% voter turnout: What does it mean?22 hours ago02:27'BJP's Plan Failed': Kejriwal Blazing Attack On Centre At Delhi MLAs Meeting1 day ago01:37'Modi Will Go Back To His Village': NC Chief Warns BJP Of Defeat In LS Election1 day ago03:02Gehlot Takes On PM Modi's Adani-Ambani Jibe At Rahul Gandhi; Watch What He Said1 day ago03:29'Won't Even Get 10% Seats': PM Modi's Big Attack On Cong-Led India Bloc1 day ago03:00'Muslims Won't Flee India': Owaisi's Big Attack On BJP & RSS After Amit Shah's Hyderabad Dare1 day ago08:29PM Modi To Retire? Massive Political War After Kejriwal's Shocker; Amit Shah Hits Back | Poll Wrap1 day ago04:26PM Modi To Retire? Amit Shah Blasts Kejriwal After Delhi CM's Big Claim1 day ago123456These two vignettes typify the Behrampore contest this time where PCC chief and 5-time MP Chowdhury is fighting the battle of his life for a seat that has sent him to Parliament since 1999.
Poll debutant Pathan, in contrast, has left it to his formidable AITC organization to help him win the biggest upset of his career.
"I have been saying from the first day that AITC can plan whatever mischief they want on poll day, but they will not be able to stop me from sweeping the poll again. I challenge them, that if they manage to capture even one booth, I will quit politics forever," Chowdhury said on Sunday, hours before the constituency with 17.8 lakh voters going to polls on Monday.
The veteran politician's day started as early as 12.30 am on Sunday when he rushed to the home of a survivor, who was allegedly molested by some goons. Chowdhury called up the police super and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits while alleging AITC men behind the crime. He stayed there till as late as 2.30 am and returned to his home at Cossimbazar 'bagan bari' only after an FIR was filed.
Later in the afternoon, the woman, however, changed her statement following visit of a senior AITC functionary, Naru Gopapl Mukhopadhyay, that led Chowdhury to call a press conference at his office, barely two kilometres from his home where he said: "A Sandeshkhali like episode unfolded here as the survivor retracted from her statement."
Chowdhury had reached the party office at Gorabazar around 1.15 pm following a light lunch (rice and fish curry) at home before he started meeting one party functionary after another and charting out instructions. "Our party workers were threatened at Daulatabad and Salar. More such complaints are coming but I am undeterred," he said, adding that on Monday he would reach the party office at 6.30 am and turn it into a war room.
Pathan left his hotel - Golden Retreat - at 11 am and began a tour of party offices and homes of senior functionaries in the constituency. He visited multiple party offices in Beldanga, Rejinagar, Kandi, Salar, Bharatpur and Berhampore town. In between, he reached the home of Rejinagar MLA Humayun Kabir at Manikyaghar neighbourhood and had lunch there. Party officials said he had Mutton Biryani, chicken chaap, potol bhaja, doi and sweets.
Incidentally, Kabir was the one who had expressed his displeasure after Pathan's candidature. Party officials said Pathan visiting Kabir's home a day before the election was a major political strategy that could result in Kabir putting his weight behind him.
Pathan also visited the home of another party councillor at Kandi - KumKum Chakraborty - where he had sherbet and posed for photographs and handshakes as a large crowd had gathered there.
On Monday, Pathan plans to leave his hotel around 9 am and then move around the booths in the constituency.