Bhattacharjee

Howrah, April 17: When elections are rolling, which politician can afford to turn a deaf ear to the people? None, not even the chief minister.

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee stepped out of his car by the Kona Expressway this evening and apologised to a fuming crowd of commuters who were held up to ensure right of way to the chief minister. Bhattacharjee spoke to them for over 10 minutes.

“It was not that people had come in his way and stopped him. But with a large crowd calling for his attention, the chief minister decided to stop and listen to their grievances,” said Akhil Roy, the superintendent of police.

The incident occurred around 8.30 pm near Hansen intersection under Shibpur police station when Bhattacharjee was returning from a rally at Jogomaya Park in Bantra.

Soon after he left the site, a message was flashed to police and movement of traffic along one of the two lanes on the expressway was restricted.

With many vehicles heading for the city, a traffic snarl developed in no time. As people seethed inside the held-up buses and cars, word spread that the chief minister’s convoy was responsible.

The commuters then got down and started raising slogans just as Bhattacharjee’s convoy arrived. It was then that the chief minister decided to give a patient hearing to the masses.

Police officers, led by DIG (Presidency Range) Herman Preet Singh, rushed to the area. More police personnel were pressed into service to unravel the snarl.