Finally,Buddha hits the road

The roadshow started from Jadavpur police station at 5 pm and culminated at Kamalgazi More in South 24-Parganas district late in the evening.

During the entire 8-km stretch,thousands of party supporters poured into the streets,waving party flags,showering rose petals on the chief minister who was flanked by CPM’s Kasba candidate Satarup Ghosh,the youngest Left Front contestant,and Sujan Chakrabarty,former Jadavpur MP,Rabin Dev,CPM state secretariat member,to name a few.

Though the party had announced earlier that the CM would walk for some time,Bhattacharjee hopping into the mini truck straightway.

“I actually wanted this kind of response to my roadshow and this indicates that people have been turning towards us and they have hit the streets as they are politically conscious,” said the chief minister.

Bhattacharjee,who gave autographs,received bouquets,shook hands with voters and waved at the crowd,denied reports that he had been “forced” to remain confined to his own constituency. “I’ll go around everywhere. I am happy that people of all ages have responded to our roadshow,” he said.

In the crowd,the common refrain was: “The eight Left Front government is inevitable.’’

But sceptics had also lined up to see the CM. “When the chief minister stages a roadshow it is natural that a good number of crowds will come and join but with the winds of change blowing across the state nobody knows how many of them will be translated into votes. The chief minister is on a sticky wicket otherwise he would not have addressed so many small rallies,and workers’ meetings in the area,’’ said Bimal Roy,a local tea stall owner.

So far the chief minister has addressed about 15 rallies in his constituency. On Sunday too,he is scheduled to address as many as nine rallies and take part in one roadshow in Jadavpur and adjoining Kasba.