Sleepless countdown for star candidates

BAPPI LAHIRI, BJP CANDIDATE, SERAMPORE. BEST CAMPAIGN MEMORY: Seeing a 30,000-odd crowd dance to your tunes at a show is one thing, reaching out to lakhs quite another. No one can call himself a cricketer if he hasn't played at Eden Gardens. Likewise, no one can call himself a politician if he hasn't seen the crowds in Bengal. I have seen people emerge out of toilets to hold my hand. I was a traffic stopper when I travelled from Uttarpara to Serampore with Bappa, my son.I'm neither Shah Rukh Khan nor Salman Khan. Yet, people treated me like god. Friday onwards, I'm starting work on my next album. It's called Main Aur Meri Janta. DAY BEFORE RESULTS: Truth be told, I'm a bag of nerves. I was in Mumbai because of some recording work, but my mind was in Serampore. Here, the producer was talking to me and I couldn't help but go blank. I'll be reaching Serampore on Friday morning after a night's stay in Kolkata, where I'll be joined by my entire family. We'll be dining together. Even my little grandson can't stop singing, 'Twinkle twinkle little star/Bappida superstar'.VERDICT: Lost

SOUMITRA RAY, TMC CANDIDATE, MALDA (NORTH). BEST CAMPAIGN MEMORY: I was in Aiho, Habibpur, when the driver of my car stopped on seeing a young boy . I got off only to realize that the 10-year-old, who was waiting with a garland, was a specially abled child. I bent down, hugged him and then, when I was about to leave, he held me and said he wants to come with me. 'I love Mamatadi (Banerjee). I love you. Please take me with you,' he said. I had to try my best to make him understand that I couldn't have ensured his return if he came with me. It was really touching.DAY BEFORE RESULTS: I will be in Boroi gram panchayat area, 95 km away from Malda town, where fire broke out last night. The administration has already taken necessary steps, but I want to be with the people there. Being an underdog, I am just not worried about the election results. I think the defending champions should feel the jitters, not us. I have my iPod with me and I plan to listen to some good music. Arjyesh, my son, is there with me and my wife will also be joining us. We'll have a quiet dinner and then go to sleep early .VERDICT: Lost

PC SORCAR JR, BJP CANDIDATE, BARASAT. BEST CAMPAIGN MEMORY: I am not a star, but a black hole. Even then, the way people have welcomed me with open arms is an experience in itself. During campaigning, I distributed by visiting cards among people, urging them to call me for any work, notwithstanding my win or loss. Calls have already started coming in by the dozens. Another time, I met a burqa-clad woman. Her husband turned away on seeing me, but when I looked into her eyes, I was blown away . She assured me just through the sparkle in her eyes that she was going to vote for me. DAY BEFORE RESULTS: A lot of our party workers are lying on bed after being beaten up by goons.I want to be with them, assure them that we can fight the battle ahead. My daughters are busy with their shoots and Jayashree, my wife, has taken upon herself a major task. She said she would bathe our pet dog today .I'll go about my daily schedule. That's about it. VERDICT: Lost

BABUL SUPRIYO, BJP CANDIDATE, ASANSOL. BEST CAMPAIGN MEMORY: I had some nightmarish experiences on my campaign trail. Being booked under the Arms Act, being one of them. All these despite knowing all the ministers of Bengal and also CM Mamata Banerjee, for whom I have great regards. These experiences have turned me into a better person as wisdom is something that you earn. So, even if I lose, as a human being I am a winner. Every time, when my daughter's results come out, I stand outside her school. She was supposed to do the same as her father's result is coming out on Friday. That was a little joke we shared. But sadly, I had to cancel my plans to bring her from Mumbai as the atmosphere in Bengal is not conducive to let my daughter be with me. DAY BEFORE RESULTS: I woke up very early to check the final mixing of my next folk album. Thereafter, I got busy with interviews. In the afternoon, I will have luchi and chhanar dalna, which my aunts have prepared for me. I have been eating well, thanks to my mother. Post-lunch, I will be leaving for Asansol with my parents. VERDICT: Won

TAPAS PAUL, TMC CANDIDATE, KRISHNANAGAR. BEST CAMPAIGN MEMORY: Meeting people, hearing them talk about their day-to-day issues and working on them have a charm of its own. I'm thankful that I got this opportunity, being an MP from Krishnnagar. This time too, it was no different. On many occasions, I had people waiting for me till midnight. They would stay up just to meet me. Even then, I have not been able to visit all the places that I wished to. People's love has been the biggest takeaway for me from the Lok Sabha elections. DAY BEFORE RESULTS: I have a daily schedule and I'm going by that. All day, I will be meeting people and hear about their problems. My daughter, Sohini, is in Mumbai and she Sohini, is in Mumbai and she can't come down to be with me.There is nothing major happening at home. The question of digging into rosogolla, bhaat and maachh doesn't even arise as Friday is result day.VERDICT: Won