Asok toils confident of victory

Asok Bhattacharya in Siliguri on Sunday. (Kundan Yolmo)

TT, Siliguri, April 17: Asok Bhattacharya is a happy man today.

The person who is one of the foremost torchbearers of the "Siliguri model" strategy to join hands with the Congress to defeat Trinamul, had a gruelling day.

Since morning, after he voted at a booth in Netaji Boys' High School in Subhaspally area, Bhattacharya took the task of roaming the 33 wards of municipal corporation in the Siliguri Assembly segment - where he is contesting as the CPM candidate - during the polling hours to instill confidence among voters. He also oversaw the progress of polling in 44 other seats in north Bengal.

"This phase of polls, which was held in Siliguri and 44 other seats across north Bengal, will have a major impact on the remaining phases of polls. The mood of the common voters that has been reflected today in north Bengal will surely boost voters in other constituencies," a relaxed Bhattacharya told reporters here this evening.

"From the manner in which people voted today in Siliguri and across the region, we are certain that we will come up with a good result. People have spontaneously voted against Trinamul," Bhattacharya said.

Asked about the Siliguri seat, he said: "I will win by a comfortable margin."

Bhattacharya started his day with a cup of tea and some puffed rice.

Soon after, he went to his booth and stood in the queue like an ordinary voter.

"After coming out, I roamed all 33 wards of Siliguri, which come under my constituency," he said.

"I did not get a chance to have lunch as I visited almost each of the 238 booths. Later in the afternoon, as I reached the party office, somebody offered two bananas. That's all I have taken so far."

He was also in touch with party leaders and candidates and even spoke to some Congress leaders in other north Bengal districts.

"I was in touch with the candidates and party colleagues in the districts. I am confident that the major seats will be won by our alliance. If you ask me, I don't think Trinamul will get more than five seats in this phase of poll in north Bengal. I have some feedback from Birbhum where we are expecting some seats," Bhattacharya said.

Such strenuous activity by the 67 year old, who is a diabetic, is natural, his party colleagues said.

"The strategy conceived by him back in 2009 has been adopted by the highest levels in the Congress and Left. It has been, in fact, taken forward and a formal alliance has been forged by both the sides. It was also endorsed by the AICC leaders and politburo members of the CPM," a senior CPM leader based in Raiganj, said.

"Favourable results in the local polls of Siliguri, where Asok had adopted this strategy, had encouraged the Left and the Congress leaders. Naturally, it has left a huge pressure on him, particularly in north Bengal where he has campaigned and interacted with the Congress leaders. Under such circumstances, both the Left and the Congress leaders of the state would expect the alliance to score best in north Bengal," he added.

The leader said: "We have also seen party general secretary Sitaram Yechuri appreciating him (Bhattacharya) and saying that he should win in Siliguri and also see that maximum number of seats are bagged in the region. Asok did not take any risk today and he toiled to ensure favourable results, both in Siliguri and in the other districts."

Jibesh Sarkar, the Darjeeling district CPM secretary, said: "The defeat of Trinamul began from Siliguri today. People here have played a pioneering role to oust the ruling party from power."