00:00A calculated attempt to breach what was once considered an unshakable fortress.
00:07Two very different playbooks at play, one battlefield.
00:13The big question now, is Manta Banerjee still the unchallenged face of Bengal politics?
00:18Or has Suvendu Adhikari found the gap?
00:22Because in the Bhavanipur contest, it's not just about who wins the seat,
00:27but who wins Bengal's heart.
00:29Your report, NDTV.
00:31Battle lines for the Bengal election.
00:41Welcome back.
00:42Amid the high-voltage rhetoric, sharp political attacks and intense campaigning in West Bengal,
00:46there have also been moments of warmed culture and actual connect.
00:50That's right, Padmaja.
00:51From temple visits to street food shops and even impromptu dances,
00:55here's a look at the lighter side of the Bengal Nixon train.
01:07High-voltage and intense campaign for the state of West Bengal has come to an end.
01:12In the midst of sharp political attacks, rhetoric, rallies and vote shows,
01:17there have also been moments of warmth, culture and connect.
01:21From temple visits to street food stops and even impromptu dances.
01:27Prime Minister Narendra Modi took time out for spiritual pauses, offering prayers at temples,
01:33invoking tradition and culture and sticking accord with local sentiment.
01:38But what really got people talking and Googling was the Prime Minister's Jhalmuri moment.
01:44The humble Bengali snack has turned into a viral sensation as Prime Minister Modi stopped to savour it,
01:50sparkling a spike in online searches and plenty of social media chatter.
01:57You know, it's very common to elections across the board.
02:02I mean, if you have got this entire symbolism of March Bhat, Jhalmuri happening here,
02:07similar things in Tamil Nadu as well.
02:09Wherever you have elections, ultimately the emotional cord is touched by your cultural symbols, your food habits.
02:14Your food and your dressing patterns and more importantly, just the language.
02:18I think the Prime Minister made it a point to speak a lot in Bangla.
02:21But you know, the centre point of this…
02:23And trying to speak a few words in Tamil, in Tamil Nadu.
02:25And Voraveshti.
02:26Yes, he Voraveshti.
02:27But I think in Bengal, he managed to keep the focus on Unayan, which is development,
02:32because like you covered Bengal extensively this time,
02:35the focus was also on what Bengalis have lost out as compared to other states, isn't it?
02:39It's not just the development, it was also culturally.
02:42So, you know, when you had the Thrinamul Congress talk about Bengali identity,
02:47it was a very interesting counter.
02:49So, instead of saying that, no, we are also Bengali.
02:51Of course, they did say again and again that the Chief Minister is going to be a Bangla Bhashi,
02:55somebody who was born, studied, raised in West Bengal.
02:59But also said that you project yourself as the keeper of Bengali identity.
03:04But then, why do you allow Ghuspethyas to come?
03:06And the counter argument is that the real threat to Bengali identity
03:10is not an Indian from another part of the country coming and campaigning,
03:13but people who are not even Indians coming and settling here.
03:17Which is how the Ghuspethyas narrative took root or was pushed as a threat,
03:22not just to national security, but the Bengali identity.
03:25And the fierce counter came from Momtah Banerjee herself and she said,
03:27she reminded people as to she was the one who went to the Supreme Court to fight for their rights.
03:31And the second thing that she said, which struck a chord with everybody,
03:34was the March Mangshur debate, where she said that if the BJP comes to power,
03:38there will be no longer fish in the state, which of course has been rebutted by the BJP,
03:42with each of its candidates actually going out to campaign with a fish in their hands.
03:47So many people ate fish or posed with fish or went to buy fish or were tucking into fish,
03:52that at one point one thought boss is everyone going to end this campaign with a giant fish feast,
03:58because there was so much fish.
04:00And it's very rarely that, I mean, I don't remember that food taking center stage in any election in this
04:08fashion,
04:09that you know, you have people going out of their way parading with fish on the Bengali New Year,
04:15making it a point and saying, look, here I am holding a fish. Anurag Thakur had fish.
04:20And like I said, Ravi Kishanto has said that we will get fish from across the country and bring it
04:25to West Bengal.
04:26And the padiyatra that Mamatopanaji is so famous for Padmaja,
04:28she had a padiyatra in almost every part of the state this time.
04:31She's walking in North Calcutta, she walked in Babanipur at least three times,
04:34she walked in Kuch Bihar, she walked in Silligudi.
04:37So that's also, you know, one way of her telling the people of her state that she has not lost
04:42it
04:42and there is a fight left in her.
04:44You know, one among the people going and buying vegetables late yesterday night.
04:48I'm one among the people.
04:49Fighter Didi as the first campaign from TNC.
04:51Okay, so fights from both sides, but only one person can win.
04:55Let's see who it's going to be.
04:57NDTV, of course, remains your election destination, the OG of elections.
05:01Thanks very much.
05:03A state where history is made and unmade every time it moves.
05:10As political temperatures soar, catch every twist and turn of the battle for Bengal.
05:17With me, Rahul Kamal, only on NDTV, the OG of Indian election reportage.
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