The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is betting high on its ground cadre to put out a stellar show in West Bengal where it has made deep in roads in the last two years. Days after nominating the wife of a labourer from Saltora seat in Bankura, the party has now fielded a woman who works as a maid. The saffron party has nominated Kalita Majhi from Ausgram seat in the Purba Burdwan district.
Kalita has been into active politics for five years. She works as a maid in four houses and earns Rs 2,500 a month. Kalita has now taken a month off from work to focus on her election campaign.
Kalita, 32, had contested panchayat elections in 2018. Her husband works as a plumber. The couple has a son who studies in class 8. They live in a hut.
Kalita said she is focusing on the campaign and exuded confidence that she will emerge victorious.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Kalita and said that the saffron party always recognises talent and hard work.
“Kalita Majhi, a BJP candidate from Ausagram assembly seat in West Bengal, is an example in politics. She has emerged as a hope for the society,” he tweeted.
Ausgram seat is currently held by Abhedananda Thander of Trinamool Congress. The seat will go to polls in the sixth phase on April 26.
The saffron party has also fielded a labourer’s wife from the Saltora Vidhan Sabha seat in Bankura district of West Bengal. The candidate’s name is Chandana Bauri. Her husband is a daily-waged mason.
The BJP has emerged as the ruling TMC’s main rival by winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in the 2019 general elections. With the BJP’s strength increasing in the state in the last few years, its leaders are upbeat that the party will end Mamata Banerjee’s 10-year rule in the assembly polls. The eight phases polling will take place on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Results will be declared on May 2. The term of West Bengal Legislative Assembly will expire on May 30.