Kolkata: Crowds soared on the streets of Kolkata as WWE champion The Great Khali took up a new avatar to stand by his friend and BJP’s Jadapur candidate Anupam Hazra.
“I have come especially from America for my friend as he files his nomination. Vote for him and make him reach Parliament where he can voice people’s issues,” said Khali from an open jeep standing tall next to Hazra.
The two friends waved to onlookers as they made their way from Ranikuthi in Tollygunje to Alipore’s treasure building where Hazra filed his nomination.
When asked to share his thoughts about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Khali said, “Modi is a good PM and has done well for the country. I am proud he has brought India on the global map.”
The world champion, who had so far stayed away from openly expressing support to any political party, said he was in the city only for the sake of friendship. If his schedule permits, he might even campaign for Hazra in the next few days.
Hazra is the incumbent Bolpur MP who had contested on a TMC ticket in 2014. He was expelled by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in January this year for alleged anti-party activities. He then joined the BJP in March to contest and is contesting on a party ticket from Jadavpur.
“For the first time, Khali has come to support me all the way from America and it is purely a bond of friendship. He is a family friend,” said Hazra, who was more than happy to let Khali steal the show as the crowd surrounded the jeep to catch a glimpse and take pictures of the superstar wrestler.
Hazra, who is hoping to cash in Khali’s star factor, is pitted against the Trinamool’s Mimi Chakraborty, a Bengali actress who has a fan following of her own.
“A person who shakes hands wearing gloves doesn’t deserve to be a Lok Sabha candidate,” the BJP nominee said, while lashing out at his opponent, who he felt lacked a connect with ground realities.
Jadavpur is considered a politically sensitive constituency where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had contested on a Congress ticket in 1984 and defeated the late Left leader and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
The seat has been with the TMC except for one term during 2004-2009 when CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty became the MP.
This time, Mamata has reposed her faith on the Mimi who hopes to use her star power to retain the seat as she replaces incumbent MP Sugata Bose.
Hazra, however, is confident that being a professor apart from his political identity would help him develop a connection with Jadavpur’s intelligentsia.
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