Bhabanipur by-poll: Mamata Banerjee pays sudden visit to mosque
What's the story
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is contesting the by-poll to the Bhabanipur assembly seat in the state to retain her post, on Monday paid a sudden visit to two municipal corporation wards in her constituency and a mosque and interacted with locals. Banerjee paid a surprise visit to Sola Ana Masjid and interacted with the locals while returning from the state secretariat.
Interaction
BJP leader Amit Malviya mocked Banerjee for her visits
BJP leader Amit Malviya mocked Banerjee for her visits and said in the days before the by-poll she will "hop from booth to booth." Banerjee was accompanied by state minister Firhad Hakim, who is the election in-charge of ward 77 which she visited. The feisty TMC boss was seen sitting on a chair and interacting with locals to maintain social distance, a COVID-19 protocol.
Visit
Banerjee also visited another ward and attended a party program
On her way back to her home, Banerjee visited another ward and attended a small program conducted by her party workers. "I follow rules laid down by the EC. I try to interact with people while traveling in the area. I saw that a small meeting was going on, so I just dropped in to convey my greetings and seek your blessings," she said.
Election
It was a planned visit to seek votes: Malviya
Mocking at her, Malviya, the national convenor of BJP's IT cell tweeted, "If you thought Bhabanipur is a no-contest and Banerjee is confident of winning hands down, then forget it." "She is sweating. This visit to Sola Ana Masjid is not sudden but a planned visit to seek votes from ward 77," he said.
Twitter Post
Here is Malviya's tweet
If you thought Bhabanipur was a “no contest” and Mamata Banerjee was confident of winning hands down, forget it. She is sweating. This visit to Sola Ana Masjid is not “sudden” but a planned visit to seek votes from ward 77.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 13, 2021
In the next few days, she will hop from booth to booth. https://t.co/7oyWrMRdPS
Information
Banerjee had won the Bhabanipur seat in 2011 and 2016
Banerjee, a resident of Bhabanipur, won the seat in 2011 and 2016. But this time she had shifted to Nandigram, the scene of 2007 anti-farmland acquisition movement against the Left Front government which had catapulted her to a major political force in the volatile state.
Votes
Banerjee had lost Nandigram to her former protege Suvendu Adhikari
This change of seat was done to dare former protege Suvendu Adhikari on his home turf. As it turned out Banerjee led TMC to a resounding victory for a third straight term in office but she lost in Nandigram. Banerjee is required to win a seat in the state assembly by November 5 in conformity with constitutional provisions in order to continue as CM.
Information
The votes will be counted on October 3
Banerjee is pitted against BJP's Priyanka Tibrewal and Left Front's Srijib Biswas in the September 30 by-poll. Congress has decided not to field a candidate against her. The votes will be counted on October 3.