The contest has been won, but Bidesh Bose and Manoj Tiwary, the two Trinamul Congress (TMC) candidates in the Assembly elections who are from the sports fraternity, are warming up for a bigger challenge — the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Both believe that it is not the time for celebration and that their first responsibility is to stand by those people who have been affected by Covid-19.
“I am a sportsperson and I always love to win. This victory obviously has a different feeling, but it comes with a responsibility too. We are going through a very tough period and my first duty is to ensure proper Covid-19 management in my constituency,” former India cricketer Tiwary, who won from the Shibpur constituency, told The Telegraph on Sunday.
He added: “I would like to help people and families who have suffered in the pandemic. People have shown faith in me and it’s my turn now to do something for them.”
(Left) Kalyan Chaubey: Lost from Maniktola; Ashok Dinda: Won from Moyna (Right) Telegraph pictures
Former India footballer Bose, who won from Uluberia East, almost echoed Tiwary. “I told my team members it’s the time to help people. The situation is very grim due to Covid-19. We all should stand together and fight against it before it becomes worse. I also came to know that in some areas of my constituency, there’s a problem concerning availability of drinking water, I would like to address that issue too at the earliest,” Bose said.
Bose expressed gratitude to party chief Mamata Banerjee. “She is my coach, I just did what she had instructed. I would like to thank her for giving me this opportunity,” Bose added.
Tiwary too doffed his hat to Mamata. “It is because of her that I joined politics and that I won is also because of Didi.
“I was a bit nervous when my name was announced as the candidate. But she gave me the confidence,” he said.
Asked whether he has any plan to take up sports administration, Tiwary said: “At this point in time I am not thinking anything of that sort.
“But I will always work for the betterment of sportspersons and sport in general.”
Two other sportspersons, former India cricketer Ashok Dinda and former India football goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey, contested the elections under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) flag from Moyna and Maniktola constituencies, respectively.
While news of Dinda’s victory came in late, Chaubey lost.