Our election caravan has reached West Bengal, where the Sandeshkali row is raising the political temperature, and the BJP and Mamta Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress are set to lock horns in a fierce battle.
Newslaundry spoke to people in the capital city’s Maidan area, a popular spot for morning walkers, about elections and the poll planks. Many of them complained about corruption and a lack of jobs under the Mamata Banerjee government. For many, migration for employment seemed to be an election issue. A local said he feels he has self-sabotaged by “educating his children”, as they had to move to a different city for employment.
At the same time, most of them distanced themselves from the communal narratives of the BJP, as reflected in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent rally speeches. A local resident emphasised that in a secular nation, there is no need to differentiate between Hindus and Muslims.
What are the people’s main questions for the state and central governments?
Watch.
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