Old Kolkata's narrow lanes, by-lanes abuzz with poll fervour

Sitting MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay of TMC is facing a tough challenge from former PCC chief and seven-time Congress MLA Somendra Nath Mitra, state BJP president Rahul Sinha and CPI(M)'s Rupa Bagchi in this Lok Sabha seat that symbolises the old-world charm of Kolkata.
Bounded by Chowringhee in the south, Beleghata in the east, Jorasanko in the west and Belgachia in the north, the Kolkata Uttar (North) constituency will go to polls tomorrow.
The narrow streets and by-lanes of the northern part of the metropolis belie the political unease. While Bandopadhyay, a close aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, won the last election by a margin of more than one lakh votes, political observers feel the 62-year-old Trinamool Congress chief whip in Lok Sabha will not have it easy this time.

Mitra, 73, who joined Trinamool Congress from Congress in 2008 and became Diamond Harbour MP in 2009, has returned to his old party ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
Known to be a Congress strongman in the state, Mitra's popularity reigns supreme in the Sealdah and Amherst Street areas of the constituency.
Bandopadhyay is extremely optimistic about retaining the seat. "Everything is fine and I will double my margin this time. I know the constituency like the back of my hand and have nursed it well," he says.

"I have been the leader of TMC in the Lok Sabha and people are aware about my performance there," he adds.

All the seven assembly segments in this Lok Sabha seat, including Chowringhee, Entally, Beleghata, Jorasanko, Shyampukur and Maniktala, have TMC MLAs after the May 2011 Assembly polls.
Like everywhere else, contestants are playing up road conditions and civic issues, among others.