5 Questions | ‘I am in 500-plus WhatsApp groups… Leaving may be rude’: Nisith Pramik

Union Minister nisith pramik's constituency voted in the first phase on April 19 (File Photo)

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BJP cooch behar candidate Nisith Pramik. (Express File Photo)

What was a typical campaign day like ?

Some days, we campaigned in small morning markets till noon. On other days, we continued the “Jan Sunwayis (public hearings)” at my home so that people could approach me. Then we would hit the streets.

Tell us something about what you carried in your bag during campaigning.

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I carried chocolates as I love children. Here, they don’t call me brother, they call me by my nickname Bittu. I like the fact they consider me as their own.

How did you factor in the summer heat in terms of your diet and clothing?

I prefered light, vegetarian fare. I had lunch with my party workers at my home. And as far as clothes are concerned, I prefered cotton kurtas and pyjamas.

In view of summer, did you ask your party workers to follow any dos and don’ts?

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I kept telling them to drink plenty of water and carry around glucose water.

At the end of every day of campaigning, how did you unwind?
I don’t have time for myself nowadays. My hobbies are listening to music and painting.

How many WhatsApp groups are you a part of?

More than 500, I think. I have never counted. Many people add me to groups, but I don’t leave because it may be rude.
— As told to

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More

Ravik Bhattacharya

Ravik Bhattacharya is the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. Over 20 years of experience in the media industry and covered politics, crime, major incidents and issues, apart from investigative stories in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Andaman Nicobar islands. Ravik won the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for political reporting. Ravik holds a bachelor degree with English Hons from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University and a PG diploma in mass communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik started his career with The Asian Age and then moved to The Statesman, The Telegraph and Hindustan Times. ... Read More