A day after Mamata Banerjee, Smriti Irani drives scooty during Bengal roadshow

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday rode a scooter during a roadshow of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal’s Panchpota, just a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to the road on an electric scooter.

Dressed in a black saree and doning a black helmet, the Union minister participated in the a bike rally in Baruipur-Sonarpur area in the South 24 Parganas district attended by scores of BJP workers amid chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and ‘Khela Hobe’ (the game will be played). Irani along with Union Minister Rajnath Singh are campaigning for the BJP in the poll-bound state currently being ruled by the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

BJP workers carrying party flags also showered flower petals on her as she drove past a large crowd. The Minister was also seen stopping for a while to wave at the crowd.

On Thursday, Mamata Banerjee rode an e-scooter to travel to and fro from her residence in Kalighat to state secretariat ‘Nabanna’ in Howrah as a mark of protest against the fuel price hike. While she rode pillion to the secretariat sitting behind state minister Firhad Hakim in the morning, she took to the driver’s seat during her return commute to Kalighat in the evening.

In the run up to the Assembly elections which will be held in eight phases starting 27 March, the TMC and the BJP have begun campaigning.

The Election Commission on Friday announced that West Bengal will witness eight-phased Assembly polls beginning 27 March. The counting of votes will take place on 2 May.