TMC leaders pick up brushes to paint wall graffiti as Lok Sabha elections draw closer

Kolkata: With the Election Commission of India announcing the schedule of the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls on March 10, senior Trinamool Congress leaders on Tuesday started painting wall graffiti to draw the attention of voters.

Trinamool Congress leader Shashi Panja took part in wall painting along with her colleagues in different parts of the North Kolkata constituency on Tuesday. Senior Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhyay is the candidate contesting from the seat. Many Trinamool supporters were found painting walls in Jorabagan and other parts of North Kolkata.

Trinamool leader Tarak Singh also tried his hand at poll graffiti on S N Roy road of Behala in South Kolkata on Tuesday morning. He said that his party would highlight the failures of the Narendra Modi government during the election campaign and at the same time, showcase how the development projects initiated by the Mamata Banerjee government in the state have benefitted the people.

Senior Trinamool Congress leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay also painted his party symbol on a wall at Rashbehari Avenue on Tuesday morning. As party supremo Mamata Banerjee announced the names of candidates later in the day, no name was mentioned on the wall at Rashbehari Avenue which falls under the South Kolkata constituency. The process of wall painting got accelerated throughout the state after Banerjee announced the names of all 42 candidates contesting the elections. In some places, Trinamool leaders were seen painting walls in the evening as well.

It may be mentioned here that Chattopadhyay had always been fond of painting poll graffiti since the early days of his political career. He had always picked up a painting brush every time there was an election in the state. He painted the party symbol on a wall while his colleagues assisted him. To everyone's surprise, Chattopadhyay used public transport to reach home. He boarded a bus from Rashbehari and got down at Jadu Babur Bazar. He didn't, however, make any vote appeal to the fellow passengers travelling in the bus.

"I have a passion for painting poll graffiti. From the days of my early political career I have been painting walls. When I had been younger, my wall painting drew the attention of the then political leaders. I always believe that wall graffiti should be done in such a manner that it appears soothing to the eyes. I always prefer to send across a political message drawing various cartoon figures," Chattopadhyay said.

He also added that the development works that have been carried out by the Mamata Banerjee government in the state would get reflected in the election result.

Arpita Ghosh, who is contesting the elections from Balurghat, was also seen painting walls in areas under her constituency on Tuesday afternoon.