Mother watches, kin fight it out

SNEHAMOY CHAKRABORTY, TT, May 04, 2018 , Mayureswar: Ashoka Banerjee's younger son has stopped visiting her. His sister has vowed not speak to him "ever".

"It's war between my two children," said the 68-year-old widow for whom "life has become a nightmare" since daughter Munmun became a BJP candidate and daughter-in-law Nibedita a Trinamul nominee.

Such is the acrimony within the family in Birbhum's Mayureswar that Ashoka laments the "fight" is in her home and less so in the rural polls.

Ashoka Banerjee (left) and her daughter; (right) Munmun (with folded hands). Pictures by Dwijodas Ghosh

"The fight, in fact, is in my home. Subhashis lives in a house nearby but used to visit me daily. However, now that his wife is a Trinamul candidate, he has stopped coming," said Ashoka.

Munmun, the BJP candidate, lodged a police complaint last month against some Trinamul workers for allegedly threatening her for filing nominations from Murulidangal village for the Kanachi gram panchayat in Mayureswar-I block.

"Those who threatened me are now campaigning with my brother's wife. How can I talk to him? He should not have allowed his wife to contest against me," Munmun said, referring to the two-pronged battle for the seat.

Ashoka is praying the bad blood does not spill over to voting day. "I am a mother. It is very painful for me to see my daughter and my son's wife pitted against each other. I will be happy if either wins, but without hurting each other," the mother said.

#Munmun and Nibedita blamed each other. "I filed my papers first. I don't talk to my brother or his wife. Win or lose, I will not talk to them ever," Munmun said

Nibedita countered by saying Trinamul had picked her a month ago. "She (Munmun) deliberately filed her nomination to take me on,"

Nibedita said. Subhasish claimed Munmun had not "informed" him about her plans to contest.