Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Firhad Hakim held door-to-door campaign for party chairperson Mamata Banerjee who will be contesting in the by-election from Bhowanipore Assembly constituency which is scheduled to be held on September 30. Banerjee filed her nomination on Friday.
"It is a special feeling to campaign for Didi (Mamata Banerjee) as she lives in the hearts of the people of Bengal. She is an inspiration to me and it seems that I have been instilled with some electrical energy as I campaign for her," Hakim said as he went from door-to-door at Rakhal Das Auddy Road in Chetla seeking votes for Banerjee.
Hakim distributed leaflets to apprise people of the development work undertaken in the state. "I personally believe that the best way to reach the people is through door-to-door campaign," Hakim who is an elected MLA from Kolkata Port constituency said.
Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, state Agriculture minister—who was elected from Bhowaniore Assembly seat in 2021 by a margin of over 25,000 votes later resigned to make room for Banerjee.
BJP has fielded Priyanka Tibrewal against Banerjee from Bhowanipore.
She had lost in the 2021 Assembly elections while contesting from Entally seat. Left Front has fielded Srijib Biswas against Banerjee while the Congress has not placed any candidate from Bhowanipore in the by-election.
Veteran TMC leaders, including Subrata Mukherjee, Saugata Roy, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas are likely to take part in the door-to-door campaigning along with the ward coordinators and party workers. Of the eight wards that fall under Bhowanipore Assembly seat, seven are under Trinamool Congress while one is under the CPI(M).
Banerjee is required to win a seat in the state Assembly by November 5 in conformity with the constitutional provisions in order to continue as Chief Minister.