The two words “Yes” and “No” have excessive usage in any of the recent election rally addresses by West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the general of CPI(M)’s election battle in West Bengal this year.
“Sungure-ye Nano — Na! Nandigram-ye SEZ — Na! Nayachar-ye chemical hub - Na. Manush ei Na shunte shunte klanta. Ebar manush Trinamol-ke balbe apnara na, na, na and shilpayan-ke bolbe Hya, Hya. Hya (No for Nano at Singur. No for SEZ at Nandigram. No for chemical hub at Nayachar. The people are tired of this No. Now, it is time for people to say no-no-no to Trinamool and yes-yes-yes to industrialisation in the state,” is Bhattacharjee’s favourite catch-line in attacking Trinamool Congress in any of his rallies.
However, unlike arch rival Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, Bhattacharjee does not only harp on state issues in his election meetings. He also attacks the Congress and the BJP at the national level.
“Aj Congress bolche je oder janye global economic meltdown-er effect Indiate hote pare ni. Satyita halo je Left badha na dile orai desher economy aro open kare ditto jate falta hato sanghatik. (The Congress credits itself for making India immune from global meltdown. But the truth is that had the Left not opposed their excessive economic liberalisation, the effect would have been dangerous.”
Quite likely, his speeches have ridicules about the Congress-Trinamool seat-sharing agreement in West Bengal. “What a pity for a national party like the Congress that they now have to virtually surrender to a divisive and destructive force like Trinamool,” Bhattacharjee says. However, in almost all his meeting he always has a word of praise for Union external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and his role as a Union minister for the development of West Bengal.
His campaign speeches in minority-dominated areas have subtle references to Mamata’s earlier association with BJP. “Kakhono BJP-ir shange, Kakhono Congress-er shange! Ei to Trinamool-er charaitra. (Sometimes with BJP, sometimes with Congress! This is Trinamool’s character),” he says.
Clad in spotless white dhoti-kurta and beige Kolhapuri sandal, the chief minister attends election rallies either in the afternoons after finishing his chief ministerial assignments or on Sunday mornings. He prefers moving from even outside Kolkata in his white ambassador driven by his old confidant Osman.
