A nine-hour overnight bus journey from Kandi in Murshidabad to Calcutta had evidently taken its toll on Ashitendu Ghosh, a 48-year old full-time worker of the Trinamul Congress. Ghosh was spotted in a relatively quiet corner underneath a tree shade at the Y-channel in Esplanade, less than a 100 metres away from the Martyrs’ Day grand podium, trying to take a quick nap on a piece of cloth he used as a mattress before the formal proceedings of the party’s biggest annual show began.

“The excitement is double that of last year. We have done well in Kandi winning 11 gram panchayat seats in our area and that would be our capital for the general elections next year against Adhir Chowdhury and his Congress party,” said Ghosh, a regular at the July 21 annual event since 2016, with an exhausted look still laying down.

TMC worker Ashitendu Ghosh, centre (in red Tee), at the sidelines of Martyr's Day meeting. The Telegraph picture

Barely a minute into the chat, and Ghosh was sitting upright, all ears and wide-eyed because the subject of Abhishek Banerjee had popped up. “Honestly, he is my general in the party. We were struggling with our organization in Murshidabad and his Naba Jowar campaign did a world of good. We gained immensely. Didi is my idol. But Abhishek is a leader this party needs badly,” Ghosh chuckled.

His neighbour and a party co-worker, Md Mujibur Rahaman, chipped in: “Abhishek’s outreach programme has doubly benefited our party. We have now identified the traitors inside the party and attracted the young generation. The results are long lasting.”

Not far from Ghosh’s resting site, Piu Sengupta from Chandannagar in Hooghly was spotted in her attempt to beat the afternoon heat with a glass of mango lassi alongside two of her party mates. “This is my fourth time at the Martyrs’ Day rally and we are here because of Didi,” she sounded firm. “May be we will accept Dada as our leader at a later stage when he gains more maturity with time,” Sengupta’s remark was received with agreement with vigorous nods from her colleagues in Trinamul.

Piu Sengupta, left, chilling with her party mates close to the main meeting dais.

The scales of popularity among the party’s grassroots workers between the Bengal chief minister and her nephew, which remained overwhelmingly tilted in favour of the former until recently, seemed to stir mixed emotions this July 21. The younger crowd clearly seemed favourably dispensed towards Abhishek Banerjee, heir apparent. “Look at our group,” giggled 30-something Jalal Mir who took a train to Sealdah from Nakashipara in Nadia early Friday morning. “How many people below 30 do you see? Ask them who their leader is?” he asked.

Mir was among a group of a dozen-odd flag-carrying TMC workers walking sheepishly along Curzon Park desperate to find a way inside the meeting venue through the seemingly impenetrable bamboo pole barricades set up by the police. “Abhishek’s acceptance among party youngsters is very high,” he remarked. The youngster, though, was quickly countered by Haru Mir, a 58-year old from the same neighbourhood who claimed he has remained a Trinamul worker since the party’s birth 25 years ago. “I’ve been regularly attending this meeting for the last 16 years. And I have seen Didi do what we thought was impossible… dislodge the CPM. She is my leader and will always be,” he said snubbing his younger colleague in the party.

Jalal Mir, right, along with his team from Nakashipara, Nadia.

The Didi magic didn’t seem to have faded a bit with 41-year old Noor Ansari and his team from Santhaldih, Purulia who hired a vehicle with their own pocket money to reach Calcutta late Thursday evening and spent the night at the Netaji Indoor Stadium halt camp. “Didi is in our hearts. We will walk to Delhi if she asks us to,” he said, all emotions.

The group sported identical colourful headgears that displayed the dual-flower party symbol when this correspondent bumped into them on Rani Rashmoni Avenue. “The reason for her success is that she made no discrimination with her social schemes. The benefits have reached all across party and religious lines,” said team leader Narayan Rajak who received vehement support from Tajuddin Ansari, another member.

The group left in a hurry towards the main dais where it was nearly time for Abhishek to deliver his speech followed by the event’s main speaker, Mamata Banerjee.

Noor Ansari, second from left, with his team from Purulia.