Tuesday saw a number of intense and colourful road shows by prominent figures in Kolkata, including one by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and two by his fiercest rival in West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, even as the campaigning frenzy reached its peak in anticipation of the final round of Lok Sabha elections. During his first-ever road show in Kolkata, PM Modi led a colourful procession that started at the foot of the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the Shyambazar Five Point Crossing and ended at Swami Vivekananda's ancestral home on Simla Street in North Kolkata. Along the way, a sizable crowd gathered to welcome the leader.
Prior to the event, the Prime Minister paid respects to the Holy Mother, the spiritual partner of the 19th-century Hindu mystic Ramakrishna Paramhansa, at Maa Sarada's home in Bagbazar. Before beginning his road show, Modi also paid his respects to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at his iconic statue in Shyambazar.
PM Modi's First-Ever Roadshow In Kolkata
Prominent state leaders of the BJP, Sukanta Majumdar and Suvendu Adhikari, were seen standing on either side of the PM in his open-topped car. The road show started at around 7:10 p.m., and it took slow-moving cars an hour and a half to travel the little over two kilometres to Vivekananda's home, where he paid respects to the spiritual leader.
Modi waved to the huge crowd that had gathered on both sides of the blocked Bidhan Sarani as the convoy moved through the busy streets. The PM greeted people at different places along the route by folding his hands. Women supporters took part in the vibrant parade while wearing saffron saris.
As the car went by, there were cries of "Jai Shri Ram" and "Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar," and many bystanders were filming the scene with their phones. In the midst of hymns being chanted and conch shells being blasted, the houses lining the route were festooned with flowers and brilliant lights.
Mamata Leads 2 Marathon Roadshows, Covers 9 Kms On Foot
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee covered nearly nine kilometres on foot during two road shows to support Trinamool Congress candidates in Dum Dum and the two Kolkata seats. It was a steamy afternoon. Both shows had a sizable attendance even as Banerjee greeted them with folded hands during her signature brisk walk and occasionally even extended her hand to the enthusiastic crowd that was waiting on the sides of the road behind security barriers.
Along with party leaders and workers, the TMC supremo covered nearly four kilometres on foot during the first road show, from Birati Banik More to Airport gate number two on Jessore Road. The road show in the Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency was to support veteran TMC leader and candidate Saugata Roy, who is running for reelection a fourth time.
In addition to Roy, Banerjee was accompanied in Dum Dum by ministers Sujit Bose and Chandrima Bhattacharya; in south Kolkata, she was accompanied by minister Firhad Hakim and city mayor. During the second road show, Banerjee travelled nearly five kilometres by foot from Entally Market in the northern part of the city to Ballygunge Phari in the south of Kolkata.
This rally was held in support of TMC candidates Sudip Bandyopadhyay, running for a third term in office straight, and Mala Roy, running for a second term from the Kolkata Dakshin seat.
