Clad in saris,banners in hand,women are at the head of every election rally in Chowringhee with Shikha Mitra,Shikhadi to supporters. My past 18 months in active politics have made me realise that women are really a neglected lot even in politics, says Mitra,the Trinamool candidate from Chowringhee,one of the largest constituencies in Kolkata. She says the women who support her are very poor,often the only earning member of a family. She tried to create job opportunities with an informal agency for nursing trainees in Lady Dufferin Victoria Hospital and Dr R Ahmed Dental College,two of many government hospitals in her constituency,but says the Left sabotaged the plan. Her campaign focuses on opportunities for women and Muslims,who form 40 per cent of Chowringhees voters. She says the Left Fronts inability to do this will lead to defeat. Didi(Mamata Bannerjee) has identified that lack of job opportunities is the main reason for Muslims backwardness. We will create job opportunities for young unemployed Muslims. But she opposes the creation of Aliah University,endorsed by the Left Front. It is an eyewash to divert attention from the real issues of the Muslims. She is no stranger to politics. Her father Nripendra Chandra Chowdhury was a freedom fighter,she is married to veteran leader Soumen Mitra,and she was involved in student politics at Victoria Institution. Yet she never thought she would be an elected representative,till the byelection at Sealdah. Her husband has been her guide through his days in the Congress. When he joined the Trinamool,he had her support: He was humiliated at being called the CPMs dalal. She knows her chances depends on her husbands name. As she walks through her constituency amid a bustling crowd,an old man walks up to her and says,We got a lot of help from dada. You are one of our own. She smiles.
