It’s not just Bangla, English and Hindi, even Mandarin has found a place in Kolkata’s election campaign graffitis ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. For the city which has been home to bustling Chinese community since the late 18th century, the average Kolkatan’s passion for politics can only be matched for her/his love for Chinese food. At Topsia area in South Kolkata constituency which goes to polls on May 19, the walls have been painted with slogans in Mandarin. There are pictures of chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the local TMC candidate Mala Roy.
It was painted by a local resident Robert Hou who claims he isn’t affiliated with the party. But TMC says it’s a move to reach out to the Chinese community members living in the area. Currently, there are over 4,000 people from the community living across the city.