Buddhadeb's popularity to face test in Jadavpur

The influence of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is in for a reality check in Jadavpur as he represents the assembly segment within this Lok Sabha seat and the verdict would indicate where the Left's policies stand vis-a-vis the Trinamool Congress'.  

The CPI(M) has fielded sitting MP Sujan Chakraborty in Jadavpur to take on singer and first timer Kabir Suman of the Trinamool Congress.     

Suman is riding TC supremo Mamata Banerjee's popularity for this tough fight and has tried to be innovative during his campaigning by using songs to ridicule his CPI(M) opponent.     

On the other hand, Chakraborty is using organisational skills to overcome the challenge.   

Asked about his campaign style to counter the innovative ways of Suman, he said, "I do not comment on my opponent. I can only say that I am as natural as I am always."  

However, a CPI(M) supporter said, "it is his (Suman) inability to campaign that makes him sing. He has nothing to say and cannot present himself properly."     

Suman, who was a journalist before switching to singing as profession, admits "because I don't have a political background, I may lack in its ways, language, etc, but I have a heart and brain."

However, the good performance of TC in last year's panchayat elections may give him ray of hope.      

In 1984, Mamata Banerjee had defeated political heavyweight Somnath Chatterjee from Jadavpur, but she lost in the next elections, following which she shifted to South Kolkata in 1991.      

Tollygunge, which is in the southern part of the metropolis, has a Trinamool MLA. Even the rural areas have a Trinamool majority with South 24 Paraganas zilla parishad being under Mamata Banerjee's party.      

On the other hand, the semi-urban localities like Sonarpur, Baruipur and parts of Jadavpur assembly area are the main strongholds of CPI(M) and it hopes to gain much from these places.      

Chakraborty, however, admits that there are many factors that have to be taken into account.      

Former CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Saifuddin Chowdhury, who had formed a new party after leaving the Left party and had allied with Trinamool Congress over the land acquisition issues, has parted ways with Banerjee and is a candidate from the Jadavpur seat.      

Besides, Muslims form a sizable percentage in the rural areas of the constituency and they might play decisive role.