Sabyasachi Dutta, the former mayor of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation and MLA of Rajarhat New Town, switched loyalities from Trinamul Congress in 2019 and is now contesting for the first time from the Bidhannagar Assembly constituency on a BJP ticket. The flamboyant politician faces The Telegraph Salt Lake at his party’s imposing office in CF Block. Here are snatches from the conversation:
⦿ This vote is a walkover (for me). In the Lok Sabha election (in 2019), there was a five to seven per cent vote swing because of (Narendra) Modiji’s personal image. There was no alternative to him. People wanted a stable government. This time, the issues are local. He (Sujit Bose) is vice-chairman (of South Dum Dum Municipality), has done work, legal or illegal, and has pulled off stunts like “sonar thakur” (referring to the gold ornaments on the idol at Sreebhumi Sporting Club Durga puja). He is a minister of two departments and a three-time MLA. But there is no fight. It will be a mock fight.
⦿ He might have spent from his local area development fund as MLA. I too was an MLA for 10 years. I spent on ambulance and hearse. He built AC bus stands. Hoy toh ogulo manusher jonyei baniyechhilen. Kintu Lake Town-er more ey dekhlam ekjon pagli okhane ghor baniye shuye achhe (laughs derisively). There is no plan. Yes, he did plan out his hoarding campaign. Round the year, birth to death, morning to night, everything is highlighted in photographs.
⦿ After he (Bose) lost twice, when the 2009 byelections came following the death of Subhasbabu (Chakraborty, the Left Front minister and local MLA), the current chief minister, who was then the Opposition leader, called both of us.
“Ekhon Sujit dnarak, 2011-y tui dnarabi”, she told me. But in 2011, no one wanted to contest in New Town. People were scared of the Left Front candidate. She told me: “Jodi jeettey hoy, okhane unnayan korte hoy, tui ekmatro jeetbi, ar keu parbe na.” She had that faith in me and I could prove myself worthy of that faith. BJP too has faith in me for this seat. I am happy to represent the locality where I reside. Ghorer chhele ghore phirlo.
⦿ Duare Sarkar er hoarding lagiyechhe ar BJP-r duare ‘niye nao’ bole bhikkhe korechhe. At 5am, he went to the airport, at 11pm he went to JW Marriott (to meet the BJP leadership). It is a national party. It is not easy to enter. He has lost confidence. How will he compete? The commander-in-chief has surrendered. How will his soldiers fight?
⦿ Mriganka Bhattacharya (a councillor from Kalindi) has joined us (from Trinamul). Devasish Jana has joined. Bhalo chhele. Swati Banerjee (TMC’s Ward 5 councillor who had joined BJP but quit within days) eleni ba kyano, geleni ba kyano uni janen. BJP did not request anyone to come. She had applied to join the party unconditionally, in writing. Three days later, she went back to TMC. Many of my old party colleagues are contacting me in the dead of night on WhatsApp or Facebook (smiles). Even my secretary is getting messages saying that they are with me or being handed dhagas or prasad. But BJP does not accommodate everyone. The party will see what they want to come for. Ayaram, gayaram. I am having fun watching this.
Sabyasachi Dutta plays holi with supporters in Bangur Avenue. Picture courtesy Sabyasachi Dutta
⦿ Drinking water is a problem in Ward 19 and 32 of South Dum Dum Municipality. There are no councillors in five wards for almost four years. There has been no election!
⦿ I decorated Salt Lake during the Fifa Under-17 World Cup. I removed encroachers from Central Park. He (Bose) resettled them beside Okakura Bhavan. They are Bangladeshis. People of Salt Lake had wanted the pavements to be for pedestrians. I had achieved that then. A hawking zone near Karunamoyee would take care of the encroachment problem.
A wall of Vidyasagar Niketan sporting graffiti and publicity of both Trinamul and BJP candidates. Picture by Sudeshna Banerjee
⦿ By June 2, 2021, a month of the election result, I will ensure running water (in south Dum Dum). I will improve drainage under the bridge in Jessore Road, where water stagnates after a shower. I also want to create a masterplan for the people of Duttabad, the original settlers of Salt Lake. Duttabad was under Ward 25 of South Dum Dum Municipality along with Dakshindari, from where Sujit became a councillor for the first time in the mid 80s. Many of them have ownership documents for the land. These are freehold land, not leasehold. Salt Lake is shining, but Duttabad remains the darkness under the lamp. Residents there remain the supply point for political rallies for regime after regime.
⦿ I was not aware that there are so many thieves in the 10 wards on the other side (under South Dum Dum Municipality)! They are so prompt about removing my flags and hoardings that they vanish within two-three hours of being put up. I staged a sit-in on the street to protest against this.
⦿ It is not possible to supply masks. We start a rally with 200-300 people, end with 2,000. How many people will I give masks to? The rallies of Modiji or Amit (Shah)ji draw 10-12 lakh people. There will be a stampede if masks are to be distributed there.
⦿ I watch south Indian films on TV dubbed in Hindi over dinner when I return home after midnight. That’s my relaxation. (Actor) Ravi Kishenji had come to campaign for me. It was a smash hit.
