Battle between 'Didir Doot' and 'Rathyatra' in West Bengal

Both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have adopted a new style of political campaigning ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. While BJP leaders are campaigning on 'raths', the TMC is relying on the 'Didir Doot' campaign.

Kolkata (West Bengal): With the time for West Bengal Assembly polls nearing, the political heat between the Trinamool Congress and BJP is taking a simmering bend.

All attempts are being made to overpower each other in an exacerbating display of campaigning. "Rathyatra" by the saffron force and "Didir Doot" by Trinamool Congress are the latest examples of this exacerbating campaign contest between the two rival forces.

With the changing times, there have been changes in the political campaigning styles and features. Besides the traditional rallies and road-side meetings, cyber-war is now an integral part of the poll campaign these days. Keeping that in mind, Trinamool Congress has started a mobile application christened "Didir Doot", which is also being used in campaign rallies.

Last Saturday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee used a car while campaigning in South 24 Parganas district and the car he used displayed the words "Didir Doot"

Political analysts feel that the basic idea of "Didir Doot" is to counter BJP's Rathyatra in the same coin. The Rath (chariot), as BJP leaders describe it as, are actually vehicles through which Union home minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda and state leaders of BJP -- Dilip Ghosh and Suvendu Adhikary are campaigning.

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Political analysts feel that a similar counter-campaign line has been initiated by Abhishek Banerjee, which in due course will be adopted by other Trinamool Congress leaders.

Analysts believe that the names might be different, but the goals for both the parties are the same. Both parties are trying to reach out to the people as much as possible during the campaign phase before the polls, as well to boost the morale of the common party workers. The leaders of both the parties are feeling that this strategy will ensure direct contact with the mass and will be helpful in feeling the public pulse.

Now, the question is ultimately which of the two contending forces will be the winner in this race being run on the same lines. Whether Didi's Doot will ensure a third-time victory of Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, or will the Rathyatra help the saffron camp end the TMC regime?

Read:TMC will win Bengal assembly polls with 250 plus seats: Abhishek Banerjee