Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sujan Chakraborty were among the politicians who stepped out to campaign for their party candidates on Thursday.
In the seventh phase, nine Lok Sabha constituencies — Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Kolkata Uttar, Kolkata Dakshin, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour, Joynagar and Mathurapur — in Bengal will be going to polls on Saturday. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.
Mamata held a 12-km long padyatra covering Jadavpur and Kolkata Dakshin constituencies. The procession which started from Sukanta Setu in Jadavpur and culminated at Gopalnagar crossing near the CM’s residence in Kalighat area featured traditional drummers and chhau dancers. She was accompanied by senior party leaders Mahua Moitra and Arup Biswas and the TMC Jadavpur candidate Saayoni Ghosh. TMC workers could be seen holding party flags as party leaders interacted with the people standing on the roadside.
A few kilometres away, Bengali actor and TMC’s Ghatal nominee Dev participated in a roadshow in North 24 Parganas district to campaign for veteran party leader Saugata Roy, who is contesting from Dum Dum.
Dressed in a white t-shirt, Dev also campaigned for TMC’s candidate for the Baranagar Assembly bypoll and actor Sayantika Banerjee.
A large number of people gathered at the roadshow to catch a glimpse of actors.
Senhasish Samanta, who runs a Dev fanpage on social media, came from Belgharia to attend the roadshow. “I have travelled to many places to attend his (Dev) election campaign. Today, I came here after learning that he is campaigning near my house. I am a huge fan and couldn’t miss an opportunity like this,” said the 18-year-old.
After Baranagar, Dev visited Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas district to campaign for TMC’s Barasat candidate Kakali Ghosh Dastidar.
TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee also participated in two rallies on the final day of campaigning from Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas district.
The BJP also held multiple roadshows in the city to make the most of the day. Leader of the Opposition in state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari campaigned for his party’s Barasat candidate Swapan Majumdar then went to Basirhat to hold an election rally for BJP nominee Rekha Patra.
In the afternoon, Adhikari campaigned for BJP Kolkata Dakshin candidate Debasree Chaudhuri. He participated in a padyatra from Deshapriya Park to Chetla and exuded confidence that the BJP will win more seats than the TMC in West Bengal.
“The writing is on the wall. The TMC is losing everywhere. I have full faith that the people in Kolkata and its adjoining areas will vote for the BJP this time,” said Adhikari.
BJP’s West Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar participated in two rallies in the city
Meanwhile, CPI(M) Kolkata Dakshin candidate Saira Shah Halim also campaigned outside Jadavpur University and Quest Mall.
The party’s Jadavpur candidate Srijan Bhattacharya held election rallies in the Baruipur area of the constituency. Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty, who is contesting from Dum Dum, also interacted with voters of the constituency. —With PTI