Biman slams Tollywood nominations

Statesman News Service

MALDA, March 17: Tollywood film stars contesting the 15th Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal do not scare Left Front chairman and CPI-M state secretary Mr Biman Bose. “They will not be able to influence the outcome of the polls,” Mr Bose claimed at Malda and Balurghat today.

“We've seen how film star Victor Banerjee fared at the hustings. I am sure the people of Birbhum and Krishnanagar will vote Left candidates into these two constituencies, despite the personal charm of Satabdi Roy and Tapas Pal. There is nothing to worry about,” said Mr Bose.

“We are not scared of them or the Trinamul's strategy. The people are running after the cine stars now, but when it comes to voting they will cast their votes for the Left candidates,” he added.

Mr Bose expressed more concern about the situation in the Darjeeling Hills, where his party workers are in no position to campaign. “We have discussed the matter with the election commission officials and will appeal to the commission to deploy Central forces in Darjeeling in order to allow for a free and fair poll,” he said.

“The EC has announced the date of the elections but the official notification is yet to be issued. The commission would take the necessary steps after the notification. We will approach the EC to ensure normal conditions in the Hills so that political parties can campaign there,” he added.

Drumming up support, filmy style
Soma Mookherjee

KOLKATA, March 17: It may be merely a coincidence that actress-turned-politician Mrs Satabdi Roy's latest film emphasises the plight of dhakis (drummers). Mrs Roy is the Trinamul Congress candidate for Birbhum, where a significant segment of the electorate are drummers.It may also be a coincidence that Roy entrusted the lead role in the film to her colleague from the celluloid world, Mr Tapas Pal. Mr Pal is the Trinamul candidate for Krishnagar and is already an MLA. The duo, however, make no effort to conceal the fact that they are prepared to cash in on their "star appeal." "Of course, my following as a film actress and my roles in jatra will help me a lot in my political role. The familiarity of film actors makes it easier for them to reach the people," Mrs Roy said. This much is obvious from the human wave that both she and Mr Pal faced in Krishnagar and Birbhum from the first day of the campaign. Though both politicians said that their professional life had nothing to do with the election campaign, district party leaders believe that the ease with which they have been accepted by the masses can be attributed to of their "glamour world'' connection. " Satabdi is well known to rural areas in Birbhum because she often performs jatras ~ the most popular entertainment of rural Bengal,'' said Mr Asish Banerjee TMC MLA from Rampurhat in Birbhum district. Even yesterday's podium collapse ~ when too many people tried to share the stage with the popular actress ~ is being touted as evidence of her popularity. Mr Pal also had a busy weekend with fans and followers trying share the stage with the "celluloid hero” of the glamour world.Mr Pal said: "I don't mix my professional life with my political life. Moreover, I've been MLA for two consecutive terms in Alipore and well versed with politics. In Krishnagar, I'll hold workers' meetings and rallies and carry out our party chief's instruction and state government's wrong policies, CPI-M atrocities and state sponsored terrorism in Singur, Nandigram and Lalgarh.''At a workers' meeting that virtually turned out to be a mass rally, Mrs Roy said: “I'm just an emissary of Miss Mamata Banerjee, our party chief. I've come here to tell you about our different movements.” (END)