Legend of the ‘golden’ foot
Maradona, Messi, Mamata… yeah, you read it right. This is a WhatsApp forward being circulated fervently by Bengalis. It’s a take on the Trinamool Congress’ election slogan ‘Khela Hobe’ (Game On). Now, after party boss and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee injured her left foot, the comparisons were inevitable — although quite possibly only by politics- and football-loving Bengalis.
The WhatsApp goes like this: ‘History is witness to the fact that the left foot of the star player of a blue-and-white kit team has always been targeted… Maradona, Messi, Pishi’ (Mamata is known as pishi in Bengal).
It’s a message that’s supposed to give hope to and pump up anyone who supports the Trinamool or doesn’t support the BJP. What’s left to be seen is if Pishi can dribble past the BJP — much like Maradona and Messi — and pull off a stunner in Bengal with the ‘golden’ left foot.
Also read: Mamata Banerjee urges to maintain peace, says would resume campaign on wheelchair if needed
Political divide among friends, family ahead of Bengal polls
Separated by politics, spouses and friends in West Bengal will fight for different causes. Yash Dasgupta, a Tollywood star and close friend of actor-turned-Trinamool MP Nusrat Jahan joined the BJP last month.
Nusrat and Yash worked together in the film SOS Kolkata and were said to be as thick as thieves. Earlier, BJP MP Saumitra Khan sent his wife Sujata Mondal divorce papers after she joined the Trinamool Congress. The TMC has fielded Mondal from Arambagh assembly constituency.
Mamata Banerjee’s former cabinet colleague Sovan Chatterjee joined the BJP last year. His wife Ratna Chatterjee also has a ticket, but from the ruling party.
What signs in the coconut may have told Sasikala about her political fate
Did Lady Luck play a role in V.K. Sasikala’s political retirement? This is the buzz in Tamil Nadu’s political circles.
Lady Luck had apparently abandoned late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s close aide the day she left a private hotel in Bengaluru. Sasikala chose 8 February to leave the Karnataka capital after serving her four-year jail term. Rumours on the grapevine is that the date was considered auspicious. Some of her supporters present at the time said that Sasikala had wanted three coconuts ceremonially broken before she got into the car. However, none of the three coconuts broke on contact.
Breaking of coconuts is considered a good omen, but Sasikala seemed to have missed the writing on the wall. Later, on the way to Chennai, three cars that were part of the convoy had turned turtle, and one even caught fire.
People who were once close to Sasikala say that she has had enough signs indicating the time was not right. Maybe this could be one of the factors for the religious Chinnamma, as she is also referred to, to announce her political sabbatical.
Also read: Sasikala learnt from Jayalalithaa the art of making comebacks. In retreat lies her politics
If the BJP were to snatch Bengal from TMC, that would be a stunner. BJP has never had any presence in Bengal.