Kolkata: From door-to-door outreach and informal tea-stall interactions to targeted engagements in high-rises and slum clusters, Trinamool Congress has recalibrated its approach to prioritise hyper-local connect over traditional large-scale rallies, shaping the battle for Bhowanipore into a high-intensity but micro-managed contest this year.The campaign is set to get a boost in Mamata Banerjee‘s first roadshow in the constituency on April 8, when she is scheduled to begin her day with prayers at Kalighat temple before embarking on an hour-long circuit ahead of filing her nomination.In the lead-up, however, the focus remains firmly on grassroots mobilisation. Senior functionaries, including Firhad Hakim, have been engaging voters in unconventional formats — from morning walks at the the Agri Horticultural Society of India to impromptu conversations at roadside tea stalls. Party insiders said the outreach is deliberately informal, aimed at identifying and addressing concerns among communities that have traditionally remained outside TMC’s core support base.“We are trying to understand why sections of the non-Bengali community do not vote for us. These smaller interactions help us hear their issues directly,” a senior party worker said. The push comes amid shifting electoral arithmetic in the constituency. Party sources acknowledged that deletions in the electoral roll — particularly among minority voters — might narrow the advantage that helped Banerjee secure a commanding victory in the 2021 bypoll.The evolving voter composition has sharpened TMC’s focus on key wards such as 70 and 72, where Gujarati voters form a significant segment. The constituency’s diverse demographic profile — including Gujaratis, Sikhs, Marwaris and Biharis — is also being actively targeted by the BJP, which sees an opportunity to expand its footprint.Banerjee, who first chose Bhowanipore as her assembly seat after becoming CM in 2011, has set an ambitious target of a 60,000-plus win margin. Her previous wins reflect a fluctuating trajectory — from a margin of over 54,000 votes in 2011 to around 25,000 in 2016 against Congress’s Deepa Dasmunshi.To meet the target, the party has deployed a tight organisational grid. Senior functionaries — Firhad Hakim, Subrata Bakshi and Javed Khan — are overseeing campaign operations across eight wards. “Special emphasis is being placed on consolidating minority votes, with dedicated committees formed among slum residents, hawkers and domestic workers. Parallel outreach teams are engaging residents of high-rises through small group meetings,” said a senior worker.Campaign messaging has also been fine-tuned. While highlighting schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar and Yuva Sathi, workers are countering the BJP’s narrative with slogans emphasising communal harmony. “The idea is to respond to polarisation with inclusivity,” said a BLA.Visual campaigning has intensified, reflecting the high stakes involved. Campaigns are being mostly conducted from 9 am to 11.30 am and from 4 pm to 6.30 pm. In part-wise campaigns, with an aim to reach micro level, party workers have been told to list ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ to ‘Yuva Sath’ schemes while highlighting BJP’s ‘jumla of achhe din’. BLA at ward 74 Sanjay Chakraborty said slogans like ‘dekho ye diwane, aisa kaam na karo, ram ka naam badnam na karo’ are being chanted to counter communal politics with communal harmony. Another party worker said: “Bhowanipore has a set pattern. Here people vote for a stable govt at the Centre during LS polls and for the party in office in assembly polls.”
