KMC polls: TMC candidates reach out to voters in various wards

KOLKATA: Ahead of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) polls, Trinamool Congress candidates and leaders reached out to voters and campaigned in their respective wards on Sunday.

Firhad Hakim, popularly known as Bobby in the locality, started his campaign from Chetla Hat Road. Hakim is popular in the area for having been involved in social service for over the past three decades. He started his career as a councilor of KMC and went on to become a member, mayor- in-council (roads). Later, he became the mayor of Kolkata. Hakim is also the state Transport minister.

He knows most people in Chetla and spends time in the TMC party office every day. "I was raised in the area. People know me and I know them. People know that in times of need, they will find Bobby by their side,"said Hakim. Puja Panja kicked off her campaign in Shyampukur on Sunday morning. She was accompanied by her mother Dr Shashi Panja, local MLA. Puja, who is the granddaughter of late Ajit Panja, is contesting from ward 8. Dr Panja said Trinamool Congress was committed to transparent administration. "Attempts will be made to address the grievances of the people maintaining absolute transparency," she said.

Veteran Trinamool councilor Paresh Pal, a candidate from ward 31, played badminton with the local youths at Subhas Mela Park as a part of contact building exercise. Pal was elected for the first time in 1985 when the KMC with the member, mayor-in-council system was introduced. Pal had introduced mass marriage of boys and girls coming from economically-challenged families for the first time in 1990s. He started a 'mela' on the life and works of Netaji in 1980s.

Bappaditya Dasgupta, Trinamool Candidate from ward 101, started his door-to-door campaign. Dasgupta had carried out extensive development of the area since he became a councilor in 2015. Trinamool Congress veteran Sandip Bakshi began his campaign in ward 72. The area falls under the Assembly constituency of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Popularly known as "Babu" in the area, he visited different houses and requested people to vote in favour of TMC.

The organisational strength of TMC was evident across the city as party workers accompanied the candidates.