KOLKATA: A financial consultant, a yoga trainer, a school principal, a pickle seller, a stationary shop owner and a gold medallist classical musician are also in the poll fray at the Bhowanipore by-election this season which has 12 candidates — six of them being independents and three representing smaller parties other than CM Mamata Banerjee and the BJP and Left candidates.
Apart from the buzz surrounding Banerjee contesting the bypoll following her controversial loss in Nandigram, what is making the contest interesting is the battle of minnows. While some claim to be fighting just for fun others claim to be fighting to bring in a change. Also, there are a couple of dummy candidates, according to party sources.
“My father was a reputable social worker. I want to follow in his footsteps. I am contesting the poll to gain some fame which will help me in continuing my social work,” said Ruma Nandan, an independent candidate from Gopal Mitra Lane in Bhowanipore, who sells pickles and manages a self-help group.
Subrata Bose and Malay Guha Roy in their 60s and 50s, respectively, claimed they were fighting just for fun. In their social media profiles, both were found sharing schemes and programmes of the Trinamool. “I had contested in Nandigram as well and garnered 77 votes. But, I had thoroughly enjoyed the fun and popularity I received even at a place no one knows me. I hadn’t even campaigned for a day,” said Bose, a financial consultant and a resident of Behala Chowrasta.
His neighbour and businessman Guha Roy is also contesting for the second time alongside Mamata Banerjee. He had earlier contested in 2016. “During my college days I was active in politics but didn’t pursue it as a career. But I always wanted to contest polls. It is fun to be named as a candidate alongside the leaders like our CM,” he said.
Kidderpore importer Ashraf Alam (40) and Shaheena Ahmed (34) from Watgunge, who refused to share their details and reasons behind contesting the bypoll, are also in the fray.
But, at least one independent candidate and two other candidates representing smaller parties vow to pose a tough challenge. “I am here to fight against corruption and post-poll violence,” said Chandrachur Goswami (32), a gold medallist in environmental studies and classical music. Swarnalata Sarkar, a yoga trainer representing a three-year-old Bharatiya Nyay Adhikar Raksha Party, and stationary shop owner Mangal Sarkar from Maharashtra-based Bahujan Maha Party are also in the race to “bring a change”.
Satadru Roy, the principal of a private school in Kolkata, is also contesting the by-election representing Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular. Roy claimed that he was attacked on Sunday during campaigning.
“Fielding independents is a long-time poll strategy. The contest here is mostly between us and TMC and Mamata Banerjee will lose again like she had lost in Nandigram,” said BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal. TMC’s Kartik Banerjee said they were not bothered about independents and the BJP.
