Have come here to stay: Yusuf Pathan
Trinamool Congress candidate from Murshidabad's Baharampur and former cricketer Yusuf Pathan started his political innings on Thursday by kicking off his campaign, asserting that he is Bengal's child and that he is here to stay.
Baharampur is known as the stronghold of Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, whose name is yet to be announced by his party from the constituency. «Our Prime Minister Narendra Modiji is from Gujarat but he contests from Varanasi. You should have people's love and capability and desire to work, then you can fight from anywhere in the country. This is my home, so what's the problem if I contest from here (Bengal)? I am Bengal's child. I have come here to stay,» Pathan said when asked about the questions raised about him being an outsider in Bengal. He added, «I have a big team here. This is completely a different pitch but the asking rate is the same. The aim of my team will be the same, which is to score runs faster and win the match.»
Pathan also held his first public programme in Baharampur where he was welcomed by local Trinamool leaders, including dissident leader Humayun Kabir, and others. A huge crowd had assembled to greet the new Trinamool candidate here.
Talking about Pathan's candidacy and campaign in the constituency, Chowdhury, who is also the West Bengal Pradesh Congress president, said, «Anyone can fight as a candidate anywhere. Election is a matter of people's support and sentiment, and their opinion. I have immense respect for the people. It is not an IPL match. Yusuf
