This Article is From Apr 01, 2014

Battle for Bankura: Trinamool's Moon Moon Sen takes on nine-term CPM MP Basudev Acharya

Battle for Bankura: Trinamool's Moon Moon Sen takes on nine-term CPM MP Basudev Acharya

Actress and Trinamool candidate Moon Moon Sen.

Bankura: Six hours by road from Kolkata, a most spectacular battle is unfolding in the Bankura constituency. Taking on nine-term CPM MP Basudev Acharya is glamour girl Moon Moon Sen for the Trinamool.

He says Trinamool's support base is eroding so they are trying their luck with star power. She says all stars are not frivolous and, anyway, it is time for parivartan.

Her mother, the legendary Suchitra Sen, had played a politician in Aandhi. Now Moon Moon is turning her mother's reel life real. Kicking off her campaign as Trinamool hopeful with a visit to a Pir Baba's Mazhar, and then diving into a public meeting.

She wants to be taken seriously.

"Celebrities are not always frivolous people, you know," she said. "I would really like to do something for the people of Bankura like ensure enough drinking water. And my inspiration is Mamata Banerjee."

And what would she like to tell her opponent, the nine-time MP from Bankura, Basudev Acharya? "Nothing," she says. "It is time for parivartan."

CPM's Basudev Acharya, however, has hit the campaign trail with a vengeance. Instead of big meetings, he is walking from village to village asking for votes.

Last time, he won by a margin of over 1 lakh votes but since then the Trinamool has made inroads into his red fort. Four of the seven MLAs in his constituency are of Trinamool now and the Left's performance in the panchayat polls too was poor.

All that Mr Acharya is taking seriously but he is not star struck.

"The Trinamool's support base is eroding. That's why they are trying their luck with star power," he says.

Voters are split down the middle, some saying Mr Acharya has done a lot and will win, others saying the wave is 100 per cent for Moon Moon.

Bankura is seeing a quadrangular fight. How the BJP and the Congress will cut votes is uncertain and no one is placing yet in the combat between glamour and grit.

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