Football to prayers: Bypoll campaign picks up pace in Ballygunge, Asansol

The polling in both the segments will be held on April 12.

Babul Supriyo, a former Union minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate from Ballygunge, campaigned in the Park Circus area. The former Bollywood playback singer played football and took part in martial arts with children. He also had a cup of tea at a local vend while interacting with the locals.

“People definitely have certain expectations from me from an important constituency like Ballygunge. There are challenges and a lot of fun to contest in the bypoll. But I perform better under pressure. I also keep in mind the legacy of late Subrata Mukherjee who had done a phenomenal job as a state minister. I will ensure that his legacy continues,” said Supriyo.

Also, BJP’s Ballygunge candidate Keya Ghosh started campaigning in the constituency by offering prayers at a temple. Ghosh said that she would visit the house of Subrata Mukherjee to take the blessings of his family members. “It is a very important seat and we will work very hard to address the issues of water-logging and lack other civic amenities in this area,” she said.

Saira Shah Halim, the CPM candidate from the segment, also campaigned in Park Circus area. “I don’t want to indulge is a smear campaign against anyone. I want to talk to the people and understand their problems. We will focus on development of the area,” said Halim.

In Asansol, BJP MLA and party candidate Agnimitra Paul campaigned across the constituency on Sunday. She offered prayers at several temples during the day. “I am from Asansol and my father is a doctor who had his practice here for more than 50 years. As an MLA, I have been serving the people of Asansol for last one year. Will the people accept an outsider (TMC nominee Shatrughan Sinha) here? I am winning the bypoll here. I will raise the issues of this constituency in the Lok Sabha,” said Paul. Sinha is likely to file his nomination on Monday.

The Asansol seat fell vacant after Supriyo resigned as BJP MP last year after having won from the segment in the 2014 and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The Ballygunge Assembly constituency (in Kolkata) fell vacant after the demise of former state minister Subrata Mukherjee in November last year.

BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh took a dig at Supriyo for his previous criticism of TMC for its minority appeasement policies. “He was recently seen wearing a skull cap. I want to ask him when is he going to wear the lungi?…He is now pleading with the chief minister to get a ministerial berth. He only wants security, government vehicle and other benefits,” said Ghosh.