Thousands participate in Mamata's padayatra braving heat

Thousands of people from different communities today took part in Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee's padayatra in the city for the ongoing Assembly elections braving April summer heat.
During the padayatra, Mamata came down heavily on the BJP government at Centre and the Opposition CPI(M) and Congress
She walked almost eight kilometres from Suhashini Ganguly Sarani in Bhowanipore till Gopalnagar Road in her Bhowanipore constituency, where she is contesting the Assembly elections.
Starting the padayatra from the Bhowanipore area along with party leaders Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Tapas Paul, later joined by Firad Hakim and her family members, Banerjee was followed by a sea of supporters draped in party flags, coloured-faces blowing conches, throwing flowers and chanting "didi... Didi".

"It's my para... It's the area (Bhowanipore) where I have grown up and went on to become an MP and then an MLA. I belong to this place and to all of you and I seek your blessings," Banerjee said.
"Despite this heat, I have attended 130-140 meetings and will be conducting many more. As I have to hold meetings for all the 294 seats I do not have much time... Wish I could have gone to every house individually but there is not much time.. Hopefully you will forgive me for this," Banerjee said at the beginning of her padayatra.

She also rued that this year's Assembly elections were spread over such a long time.

"Assembly elections in West Bengal were never held for such a long period of three months. And Delhi (the BJP-led Central government) is doing so much politics regarding this year's elections.. They have done so much damage spreading false rumour against us...," Banerjee said.
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"But I believe people will give them (opposition parties) a befitting reply... I believe what my government has done in the last 4.5 years' time this achievement will one day become a thing of research globally," Banerjee said.
She walked through the narrow lanes of Turf road to Sambhu Nath Pandit street and then covering Harish Mukherjee road to Kalighat road and then through Chelta road to Gopalpur road.

All these roads and lanes were adorned with posters, huge-size banners, cutouts of Banerjee with Trinamool flags all over and loud speakers chanting "Mamata Mamata".
"I have to do everything...In a sense I am contesting from all the 294 constituencies. I seek your blessings so that TMC can win in all these 294 seats...And 'Ma Mati Manush' can be the winner," Banerjee said.