Dumdum, where the party is

In the poll-bound West Bengal, suddenly the Dumdum area has gained a lot of significance. Not because it has the Kolkata airport, where all the VIPs are landing for their campaign in the state, but because two high-profile meetings will take place here over the weekend. On Saturday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a joint-rally with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. That was the first joint rally of the Congress and Trinamool, as Sonia Gandhi has so far refused to share the dais with Mamata. Next, on Sunday, Dumdum voters will witness the return of expelled CPI(M) leader Somnath Chatterjee on the party platform: The communist veteran will address an election rally of Gautam Deb, the housing minister of the state. While Chatterjee remains outside the party, this is seen as an attempt for a possible comeback in the party fold.