The resounding success of chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s maiden roadshow on Saturday seems to have galvanised the beleaguered Left Front workers. The CPI(M) cadres, in particular, who were earlier campaigning rather listlessly and even half-heartedly have suddenly become more determined.
On Sunday and Monday from Siliguri in north Bengal to Shyambazar in Kolkata, the CPI(M) cadres campaigned with a renewed vigour and vitality. The first phase of election begins with polling in 54 constituencies of north Bengal. April 10 was the last Sunday and the CPI(M) supporters put in extra bit of effort to boost the electoral prospects of LF candidates. In Phulbari and Naxalbari in Jalpaiguri district two huge padyatras were taken out in which CPI(M) state secretary Biman Bose participated. He then airdashed to Kolkata to attend another major campaign programme in Behala in the evening.
In Siliguri town, veteran CPI(M) leader Ashok Bhattacharya led a large padyatra. In the Terai and Dooars region, tea garden workers, tribals and Nepalis fanned out to seek votes for the CPI(M).
The presence of large number of women and young girl was a highlight of these processions. Even in the Jangalmahal where the CPI(M) had been on the backfoot, the party cadres have hit the streets in large numbers in the past two days.
In West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, the CPI(M) supporters are enthusiastically canvassing. The huge turnout in the chief minister’s rally has surely come as a shot in the arms of the party cadres.
Acknowledging that Mr Bhattacharjee’s roadshow was a major success, the CPI(M) central committee member Mohammad Salim, however, explained that the low-key campaigning earlier was part of a plan.
“Ours is an organised party and even our campaign proceeds step by step. In the beginning, our candidates conducted small meetings which did not come to the notice of the media. Now that the ban on the use of microphones has been lifted, the party workers have embarked with total zeal,” he added.