Trinamool candidate embarks on winning support through songs

Singer Anup Ghosal relies on music rather than political speeches to woo his voters in Uttarpara constituency in Hooghly district from where he is fighting the Assembly election as a Trinamool Congress candidate.

A novice in politics, Ghosal, who shot to fame by singing a song in Satyajit Ray's classic children's film 'Goope Gayen Bagha Bayen', said he mostly understands only one

language of communication - music.Still hugely popular with the masses, the songs he sang in Goope Gayen Bagha Bayen and the sequel Hirak Rajar Deshe, are his 'weapons' to

strike a chord in the hearts of the electors.One after another, Ghosal belts out songs from the two evergreen films with folded hands in his campaing visits in the constituency.

"I am overwhelmed by the support, love and blessings of my party workers and I feel that success is inevitable," Ghosal said.

Ghosal's daughter Anupama said it was a new kind of feeling for her father as an election candidate. "It is an opportunity for him to serve the people," she told PTI.

Singing lines from a Goope Gayen hit 'Bhuter Raja Dilo Bor' (blessings of the King of Ghosts), Ghosal told his wide-eyed listeners at Nabagram in the Konnagar police station area, "I want 'bor' (blessings) from the king of ghosts to win this election."

Ghosal is pitted against Srutinath Praharaj (CPI-M), a lecturer in local college, who is seeking re-election from the constituency.

Confident that his songs will tip the scale of support in his favour, Ghosal even hopes to wean away traditional supporters of the CPI-M many of whom have accompanied him through his 'musical campaign'.

Trinamool Congress sources said, "Anup dada's presence is enough for the CPI(M) to get panicky.

"The singer-turned-politician commenced his campaign on March 22 with a worship at the Kali temple at Konnagar.

"Sakali Tomari Ichha, Icchamoyee Tara Tumi," Ghosal sings from a traditional devotional song, invoking the blessings of the almighty to win the election.

Not taking chances, Ghosal occasionally launches into political speeches whose main burden is that there is a need to usher in a political change in the state.

"I pray that Mamata Banerjee's endeavour for ushering in a change in the state's governance is fulfilled by the almighty," he said.

The CPI(M) camp, however, refused to attach any importance to the candidature of Anup Ghosal and described his campaign through music as 'incidental'.