Mamata Banerjee Leads March to File Nomination for Bhowanipore Seat
In a vibrant display of political strength, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday led a 400-meter procession from her residence to the Alipore Survey Building to formally file her nomination papers for the Bhowanipore assembly constituency. The march, accompanied by approximately 4,000 enthusiastic Trinamool Congress supporters, set the tone for the final phase of the party's election campaign.
Nomination Filed with Cross-Community Support
Banerjee submitted her nomination with four proposers representing different religious communities, showcasing her party's inclusive approach. The signatories included Ismat, wife of Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, representing the Muslim community; Bablu Singh, ward 71 block president, representing Hindus; film producer Nispal Singh, representing Sikhs; and Miraj Shah, vice-chairman of Bhowanipore Education Society, representing Jains.
Vow to Challenge Voter Deletions in Supreme Court
Immediately after filing her papers, the Chief Minister announced her party's intention to approach the Supreme Court once again to demand voting rights for citizens whose names were deleted from electoral rolls during judicial adjudication. "The Supreme Court had identified all voters under adjudication as genuine voters and had said their cases will be settled in the tribunal," Banerjee stated. "What is the point of freezing their cases? We will go to court again and seek justice."
Expressing deep concern over the scale of voter deletions, she revealed that out of 1.2 crore names removed from electoral lists, 32 lakh were reinstated only after her previous Supreme Court intervention. However, 58 lakh cases remain unresolved, with 27 lakh voters currently awaiting tribunal decisions. "Some of the deletions may be genuine due to deaths or duplicate entries," she acknowledged. "But the 27 lakh voters whose cases are pending before tribunals are genuine and should be allowed to vote. What is the point of adding names later if these people aren't able to vote now?"
Assets Declaration and Personal Details
In her nomination affidavit, Banerjee declared total assets worth Rs 15.4 lakh, including Rs 75,700 in cash and 9.8 grams of gold jewellery. Her annual income stands at Rs 23.2 lakh, derived solely from book royalties and bank interest. Notably, she owns no vehicles or property and has no criminal cases pending against her.
Festive Procession with Emotional Moments
The nomination day began at 10:35 AM when Banerjee emerged from her Harish Chatterjee Street residence dressed in her signature white sari and chappals. She was immediately surrounded by supporters who had gathered for hours to witness the event.
Srabani Roy, a Kalighat resident leading a group of ten women in coordinated green-and-white sarees, welcomed the Chief Minister with traditional conch shells. "This has been a ritual for several years now," Roy explained. "We always come dressed in coordinated colours to accompany her when she files her nomination. We wished her luck and she blessed us. Such simple gestures inspire us to work harder to ensure the party's victory."
The route transformed into a celebratory procession with supporters showering flowers and chanting "Mamata Banerjee zindabad" and "Joy Bangla" slogans. Party worker Tarak Patra, whose brother-in-law's name was deleted from voter lists, expressed confidence in Banerjee's efforts: "Didi has assured us that she is trying to get the names restored."
Spiritual Stops and Emotional Appeal
During the march, Banerjee paused at Bagalamukhi temple near Kalighat bridge to offer prayers before continuing toward the nomination center. Near Alipore Jail Museum, she paid respects before a photograph of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose with folded hands.
Senior party leaders including Firhad Hakim, his daughter Priyadarshini, Rashbehari MLA Debashis Kumar, and all eight councillors of Bhowanipore constituency accompanied the Chief Minister throughout the procession.
Addressing supporters after filing her nomination, Banerjee struck an emotional chord: "I live here 365 days. Everything — my birth and my work — has been here. Whatever I am is because of this place." Extending greetings in multiple languages, she concluded: "To the people of Bhowanipore, I offer my respects — Pranam, Sat Sri Akal, Jai Jinendra, Salaam. Bless us so that not just I, but all our candidates across 294 seats can continue to serve you."
