Ballygunge by-election: Babul Supriyo commences campaign

KOLKATA: A day after Babul Supriyo was nominated as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate for the by-election in Ballygunge Assembly seat, the singer-turned-politician started his campaign by drawing wall graffiti on Monday.

The by-election will be held on April 12 and the result will be announced on April 16. Ballygunge Assembly seat fell vacant following the death of the state Panchayats and Rural Development minister Subrata Mukherjee. Mukherjee had won by around 75,000 votes in the 2021 Assembly election.

Babul was received by the local youths with overwhelming response. Because of his amiable nature, he could mix freely with the residents. Supriyo thanked Trinamool chairperson Mamata Banerjee for giving him an opportunity to serve the people.

Ballygunge is a TMC stronghold. Political experts said all the social clubs in the constituency were under the control of Trinamool.

TMC is preparing the schedule of meetings and rallies in Ballygunge. As the election will be held during Higher Secondary examination, there will be restrictions on the use of microphones. The party will give stress on door-to-door campaign.

Babul said Shatrughan Sinha, who has been nominated to contest from Asansol Lok Sabha seat in the forth coming by-election, had called him and discussed about the constituency.

Babul was elected from Asansol Lok Sabha seat in 2014 and 2019 on BJP ticket.

"I know Asansol better than the back of my right hand palm. Those who used to work for me have joined Trinamool from BJP and they will work for Sinha. I felt glad when Sinha requested me to be present when he will be filing the nomination."

Mamata Banerjee had played a master stroke by nominating two stars in the Assembly and Lok Sabha by-elections, political experts said. They maintained that it would be difficult for the opposition to field suitable candidates in these two constituencies.