March 29, 2011
Mamata Banerjee Gets Warrior`s Welcome
Kolkata, March 27: When Mamata Banerjee hit the campaign trail in Joka on Sunday for Behala East candidate Shovan Chatterjee,almost the whole of south-western fringes of the city walked with her. An elderly woman blew the conchshell from a rooftop. It seemed to be the cue. Dozens of women, probably getting ready for the evening puja, blew conchshells from their homes. For a few minutes, the rutted lanes and bylanes of this locality resonated mesmerisingly with the sound traditionally associated as much with a war cry as with reverence. The 7 km that Ms Banerjee walked, from the 3A bus stand in Joka to the number 14 stand at Behala, brought the area to a standstill and threw traffic into knots, but the man on the street seemed too captivated by the march to complain about a daily Kolkata logjam. Rows of people lining the rooftops showered petals on the procession. Thousands thronged the potholed pavements and waited hours to catch a glimpse of the agent of change. For weeks, everyone had been waiting for the moment. Will Mamata flag off the Trinamool campaign from the city or,say, Singur or Nandigram The big moment arrived at 4.40pm when Mamata Banerjee,flanked by party leaders Partha Chattopadhyay and mayor Shovan Chatterjee flagged off Trinamool`s first road show in the city. Flags fluttered,banners hung from every vantage point and supporters blew their lungs out shouting slogans. As the procession rolled on, thousands merged into it from the lanes adjoining Diamond Harbour Road. Parents with children in tow, couples on bikes and the elderly out for an evening stroll, stood on their tracks for a brush with Mamata. Those on the balconies were luckier.”I had perched myself on my neighbours verandah from 1pm.I got a clear view of her”, said Ranjit Ray of Shilpara.Rina Mallik had walked all the way from T h a k u r – p u k u r,jostling with Trinamool supporters,to watch Didi in action. “Watching her on TV doesn`t give you a complete picture of her grit and determination.” Seeing her leading the march today was an enlightening experience.Mamata is truly a gutsy leader, gushed Rina.Boundless enthusiasm overtook the march as it reached the Thakurpukur crossing at 5.10pm.”Oi je eshe gechen”, shouted an onlooker from his perch atop a bus-stop shed. It was a rush when Ms Banerjee arrived. Barricades formed by Trinamool cadres were broken as everyone dashed for a glimpse. In her customary style, Ms Banerjee waved frantically at her men and shouted instructions to restore order. It proved difficult as people from the lanes had started streaming in. About 500 metres from Thakurpukur,an elderly woman set the tone by blowing a conch shell from the terrace of a two-storey building. Several others joined in from neighbouring balconies as a thunderous applause rose from the road. It was early evening when the march reached Behala.The supporters had started dispersing but still retained a spring in their steps. The energy should come in handy as the election race hots up further.
