Poll graffiti is still alive and kicking in Bengal

Kolkata, March 18: 'Thanda Thanda cool cool, ghoosh niyeche Trinamool', a wall writing in the city goes, referring to the sting video purportedly showing several Trinamool Congress leaders accepting bribe.

With the date for Assembly election in West Bengal drawing near, poll graffiti like this are becoming common once again, demonstrating its unmatched power to grab attention of voters. It also proves that its power to appeal to voters has not diminished in the age of fashionable social media campaigning. All political parties have vouched for it.

Veteran politician and TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee said the the ability of the wall writings to reach out to masses was unmatched.

"Wall writings and limericks have a very quick impact on the mind of the voters. This has been an age-old method of campaigning in Bengal," Mukherjee said.

The graffiti - some witty, some satirical and some thought provoking - is an inseparable part of any election in West Bengal since 1952. "Even in the age of social media, wall writings and limericks are still important as they make an instant impact. This has been used for campaigning for the last several decades, when we had not witnessed so much of technological advancement," CPI(M) state secretariat member Sujan Chakraborty said.

"Eto bonchona, eto lanchona, eto kutsa dheu/Tobu Trinamool Congress'er egiye chola Rukhte parbena keua (Such deprivation, such accusations and such malicious campaign/ Still can't hinder the progress of Trinamool Congress towards the victory lane)," goes another graffiti of the TMC.

This refers to the huge debt burden left by the previous government.

PTI