The Hindu : National / Elections 2004 : Poll-Pourri

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Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004

National

National - Elections 2004

Poll-Pourri

Sudip vs Sudip

The Kolkata North-West parliamentary constituency is witnessing a curious contest. Two Sudip Banerjees are fighting for the seat, both Independents. The better known among them has rebelled against his party, the Trinamool Congress and is supported by the Congress.

The other Sudip is a virtual unknown and has been missing since he filed his nomination papers. The grapevine has it that he will start campaigning only after the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

The Congress-backed Sudip, who has had to take the candle as his symbol, may face a crisis of identity when his namesake resurfaces.

Is this a deliberate plan by his opponents to spread confusion among the voters in the hope that some of the votes meant for him will be cast for his elusive namesake, thus weakening his bid for the seat, which he has won twice as a Trinamool candidate?

A Left dilemma

The intelligentsia in Jharkhand is made up of a large number of Left sympathisers. Many of them are a confused lot. This is because in many seats where the Left commands considerable influence, more than one communist party is in the fray. Independent Left supporters do not know which one to root for. They have dubbed these constituencies as "double Left", while the few seats where just one communist party is in the fray are referred to as "single Left." The CPI (ML) Liberation is the root cause for this dilemma.

It is pitted against the CPI (M) in Ranchi, the CPI in Hazaribagh, the Marxist Coordination Committee in Dhanbad and a naxalite rebel, Ramlal Oraon alias Veer Bhagat, in Chattra.

On a high

The battle of the ballot in Delhi's smallest constituency, Chandni Chowk, might have become less "exciting" following the exit of the JD (S) leader, Shoaib Iqbal, from the fray. But the Congress is clearly on a high.

The Congress spokesperson and party candidate from Chandni Chowk, Kapil Sibal, feels the BJP has "wasted" a good candidate like Smriti "Tulsi" Irani of Kyunki Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi fame by fielding her against him. "Elections are not won in 14 days. I know it because I did the same when I contested from South Delhi and lost," he says.

The BJP may not be giving up just yet, but as far as Mr. Sibal is concerned the outcome is loud and clear. He and his party may not believe in or approve of exit polls, but at a get-together of local journalists at his residence, Mr. Sibal said: "It will be `exit' for Smriti and `poll' for me."

- Malabika Bhattacharya, Sandeep Dikshit, Lakshmi B. Ghosh

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