Battle over Kasba: Trinamool takes SIR in stride in seat that speaks in many tongues

KOLKATA: Bordered by Chinese settlements, with poll graffiti in mandarin, on one side and the cosmopolitan Rashbehari Connector, dotted with swanky mall, showrooms and hangout zones, on the other side, the Kasba assembly constituency covers six Kolkata Municpal Corporation wards.
The constituency is in for a poll battle waiting for the mandates of new voters and old residents, witnessing the transformation of their neighbourhoods in recent years.



People speak in various languages here. It has also got a mixed cultural character. While it is known for its Chinese population in Tangra, it also featured in news for the criminal activities at Gulshan Colony.

From urbanisation on wetlands-surrounded pockets off EM Bypass, cosmopolitan makeover with highrises and hangout zones to being home to political and Tollywood personalities in the residential neighbourhoods of Rajdanga and Anandapur, it has got its own layers of features. After the deletion of 65,028 voters during the special intensive revision, about 2,65,616 electors are going to cast votes. Candidates have intensified their campaign. After Metiabruz and Jadavpur, Kasba has seen the third highest additions of first time voters in the city, which comes to 3,753.

Though 10 candidates are contesting under different banners, including independent candidates, it is a close fight between TMC candidate Javed Ahmed Khan and BJP's Sandip Banerjee. The saffron party had secured the second position, beating CPI(M) in 2021 Assembly poll.

TMC's Khan is confident of victory for the fourth time. For him, SIR deletions are a "matter of no worry". "Out of 65,028 deleted voters, about 20,000 are dead and 18,000 others are in absentee category," he told TOI.

In 2021 Assembly polls, Khan had won the Kasba seat with 1,21,372 votes, defeating BJP's Indranil Khan, who secured 57,750 votes. "If voted to power, our party will slam brakes on illegal construction, syndicate raj and filling up of wetlands," Banerjee said.

The CPI(M)'s female candidate Dipu Das has chosen women's safety to be the main issue of her campaign.
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