The Chanok family of a non-descript village near Aarambagh in West Bengal is witnessing a 'war' of sorts with three of its members up against each other as TMC, BJP and Left candidates in the panchayat elections.
Sufal Chanok, 78, is the TMC candidate from the Salehpur village, his brother 67-year-old Sukumar Chanak is the CPI candidate while his son Prafulla is the BJP nominee from the seat.
"We are fiercely combative on the field as we are miles apart ideologically. But, I have told 'dada' (elder brother) that he has to treat us to mutton curry if he wins, and if I win I will buy a drum of rasogolla and distribute it among our family members, including my 'dada' and 'bhaipo' (nephew)," Sukumar told PTI.
A visit to their thatched-roof house, less than a kilometre from the nearest highway, revealed the family's struggle to make ends meet. They do not share a kitchen, but take care of each other, notwithstanding the animosity in the electoral arena.
"During my campaign, I am telling people how my 'dada' failed to develop this road," Sukumar said, pointing to the murram road that has turned muddy due to continuous rains.
"If I win, I will improve this road. If 'dada' wins I will not allow him to have peace till he develops this road, which is the main thoroughfare of this village," he added.
Sufal, the patriarch of the household, said the political differences with his son and his brother will not come in the way of his affection for them.
He has worked as a rural medic for decades, and joined the TMC in 1998, following in the footsteps of Mamata Banerjee, from the Congress.
"People will vote for me seeing the development works done by the Mamata Banerjee government. I am working for the area all my life. However, whatever may be the result of the election, my relationship with my family members would not change," he said.
Prafulla, 56, said the electoral battle has not affected his respect for his father and uncle.
"It is impossible to explain the TMC government's misrule and the CPI's irrelevance. My uncle and father do not have a chance to win against me," he said.
Prafulla said he was worried about his father's health as he was campaigning amid the sweltering heat at such an age.
"My request to him is don't strain yourself during the campaign, and make promises that you could not fulfil earlier also," he said.
Exuding confidence, Prafulla said he will win the election because people of the area know him since he was a child. His father, however, said that no one would vote for the BJP in the area.
About 5.67 crore people living in the state's rural areas are eligible to vote in the July 8 elections for the three-tier panchayat system, comprising zilla parishad, panchayat samiti and gram panchayat.
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