Krishnanagar (West Bengal): Having saved goals aplenty during a sparkling soccer career, former India custodian Kalyan Chaubey has adopted the ‘offence is the best defence’ approach in his maiden electoral contest, but said Saturday that the new turf is ‘more competitive and cruel’ with opponents always waiting to ‘hit below the belt’.
In the fray as a BJP candidate from this constituency of West Bengal, the 42-year-old Chaubey says he is slogging it out for 17-18 hours daily, and travelling 150-200 kilometers to woo the voters in the primarily rural constituency that goes to the hustings, April 29.
“This maidan (turf) is more competitive, cruel, and tough. In football there are rules and regulations, then there is a fixed timing (for every match). But these are not there in politics. Here your rivals are always waiting to hit below the belt,” Chaubey, who donned the national colours from 1994-2006 in various age-groups and also for the senior Indian team, told this agency.
Vying for glory in a 11-horse race, Chaubey’s principal opponents are Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) combative and sharp former investment banker Mahua Moitra, Shantanu Jha of the CPI-M and Congress’ Intaj Ali Shah. This constituency in 1999 had elected a BJP candidate, Satybarata Mukherjee, more famous locally by his nickname Julu Babu.
With the party prefering Chaubey – half his age – over him, the 86 year old Julu, who also contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, initially made no effort to hide his displeasure. But things got sorted out after the affable Chaubey called on him soon after being nominated. “He has blessed me. He has covered all seven assembly segments of the constituency seeking votes for me,” says Chaubey, who joined the BJP in 2015.
A man of many parts, Chaubey, since his retirement from the game, has delved into widely diverse fields. He has been a soccer administrator, spearheaded four football academies, coordinated with Indian and foreign government agencies for talent development, walked the ramp in the Lakme Fashion Show, translated a book on the Shirdi Sai Baba’s life, written a Bengali novel ‘Aporinoto’ (Immature), and even started a fully mechanised laundry brand.
“God has given me a life, I accept whatever direction life takes,” informed the deeply religious Chaubey, sitting in an open jeep – his campaign vehicle – blaring patriotic songs and ‘Jai Shree Ram’.
Trinamool’s actor-turned-politician Tapas Paul had won the elections the last two times from this constituency. But he has missed out on a party ticket this time following controversies over his hate speech and his arrest in the Rose Valley Ponzi scam case. Chaubey however, asserted that the BJP has nothing to be defensive about.
“I know attack is the best defence, but in Krishnanagar there is nothing that we need to defend, as we last won 20 years back. We can only attack. It is the TMC that is fighting anti-incumbency, after occupying the MP seat for 10 long years,” pointed out Chaubey.
Chaubey is raising issues like thrice-a-day power cuts, poor drinking water and drainage and the mosquito menace, besides the ‘lack of basic infrastructure and facilities in the vast of majority of rural areas, like health, education and housing”. “These may seem small issues, but these are the actual peoples’ issues, which I am highlighting,” he stated.
Chaubey, however, complained about the ‘vindictive state government machinery’. He alleged that voters were already facing threats from the TMC-backed goons not to venture out on polling day.
“They are being told they would be taught a lesson if they dare to attend my meetings or go to the booths. The administration watches everything silently,” Chaubey alleged before adding that even police personnel were going to the villages and threatening people.
Chaubey now starts his day at 7.00am meeting people, and remains on the road till midnight.
“For those of us who have taken part in the Calcutta Football League, that hosted matches in gruelling conditions with the mercury touching 40 degree Celsius, the heat or humidity or other factors don’t pose any problem, said the man adjudged India’s ‘Goalkeeper of the Year’ in the 1997-98 and 2001-02 seaons.
In 2004, Krishnanagar had elected a sportsperson – Asian Games double gold winner Jyotirmoyee Sikdar of the CPI-M. Whether there is an encore or not will become clear once the votes are counted, May 23.