Kolkata: Mamata leads padyatra through Bhabanipur streets

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 27 (ANI): Ahead of the second phase of polling in West Bengal on April 29, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Mamata Banerjee on Monday held a padyatra in Bhabanipur Assembly constituency and interacted with the people.
The padyatra covered multiple stretches across the constituency, including routes from Sukanta Setu to Dhakuria, Golpark to Gariahat Road, and from Hazra College to Gopalnagar More.
Banerjee is contesting from the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, which is scheduled to undergo polling in the second phase on April 29. She previously held a roadshow here on Sunday as well.
The Chief Minister walked through parts of Bhabanipur as supporters gathered in large numbers during the public outreach programme.
Earlier today, CM Mamata expressed confidence in her party's electoral prospects, citing overwhelming public support during recent 'padyatras' and 'Janasabhas', and asserted that the "victory of Maa-Mati-Manush" is "a matter of time."
Sharing a post on X ahead of the second phase Assembly election, Banerjee said, "The extraordinary enthusiasm, the genuine warmth, the spontaneous emotional outpouring of ordinary people at yesterday's padyatra and janasabhas have moved me in ways that words can only approximate. This is a bond forged over years of standing together through every challenge this land has faced. The victory of Maa-Mati-Manush is no longer a matter of prediction. It is a matter of time.
"Emphasising Bengal's cultural and historical identity, the Chief Minister said the state has long stood as a "beacon of harmony" and civilisational pride.
While the first phase of polling on April 23 saw a staggering 92.35% voter turnout across the state, Bhabanipur is widely viewed as the emotional and political heart of the 2026 contest.
The constituency is home to a diverse mix of Bengali, Gujarati, Marwari, and Sikh communities, making it a complex demographic challenge for both parties.
As the campaigning is in its final 48 hours for the second phase, Kolkata remains on high alert, with the Election Commission increasing drone surveillance and paramilitary presence in the Bhabanipur-South Kolkata belt.
The constituency's two primary contenders are Mamata Banerjee and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
For Banerjee, Bhabanipur is a must-win to retain her "Kolkata throne". For Adhikari, a victory here would be the ultimate "giant-killing" feat, following his 2021 win over her in Nandigram.
Earlier on Saturday, the high-stakes battle for Bhabanipur reached a boiling point as the constituency's two primary contenders held public meetings within earshot of each other.
The tension marks a dramatic escalation in the "battle of Bhabanipur," a seat Banerjee has held since 2011 but which the BJP has made its "biggest target" in the 2026 Assembly elections.
The trouble began on Chakraberia Road when CM Mamata abruptly ended her speech and walked off the stage. Banerjee accused the BJP of deliberately using high-volume loudspeakers at Adhikari's nearby venue to drown out her address.
Expressing frustration over the "intentional disturbance," Banerjee apologised to her supporters before leaving the venue. Following her departure, incensed TMC workers marched toward the BJP rally site. The two groups came face-to-face, engaging in a heated exchange of "Jai Bangla" and "Jai Shri Ram" slogans.
Rapid Action Force (RAF) and local police formed a human chain to separate the factions, eventually bringing the situation under control before physical violence could erupt.
Nevertheless, West Bengal is set to go to the second phase of polls on April 29, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. (ANI)