Kolkota: When a 25-year-old civil engineer-turned-politician Debangshu Bhattacharya wrote the song ‘Khela Hobe’ in January this year, hardly anyone would have thought that it would go so viral and continue to resonate in the Bengal assembly elections. Three months after it was written, the ‘Khela Hobe’ rap song and its version, especially the line ‘Khela Hobe’, has completely overshadowed the electoral atmosphere and has become the main slogan of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress.
Prior to ‘Khela Hobe’, Bhattacharya has written several songs for TMC in the past. His songs ‘Mamta Di Aur Baar’ and ‘Delhi Jabe Hawaii Choti’ have also become popular. It was later said that Mamata Banerjee likes to wear slippers and this was linked to her ambition to become Prime Minister.
Bhattacharya said that ‘Khela Hobe’ has crossed almost all the milestones. I am happy that BJP has also raised this slogan. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to this slogan. Please tell that after the 2019 elections, Bhattacharya joined the TMC.
Mamta Banerjee is also seen using this slogan in every public rallies. Addressing a public meeting in Kolkata on Sunday, PM Modi had challenged Mamata Banerjee and said, “Didi listen to this, TMC played. Game finished, development started. Not only this, Union Minister Rajnath Singh also said while addressing a rally in February that Bengal would be witness to the game of development and peace, if the people vote and bring the BJP to power.
Mamta Banerjee, who was contesting from Nandigram seat on Tuesday, while addressing the activists, said that she should have played on April 1. Please tell that voting is on April 1 in Nandigram.
Bhattacharya wrote the song and uploaded it on social media on 7 January. The song attracted the attention of TMC supporters soon after it was uploaded and became popular. A few days later, when TMC leader Anubrata Mandal used the word Khela Hobe, they became more popular and viral.
In 2016, the ruling Awami League MLA in Bangladesh, Shamim Usman, used two very common Bengali words (Khela Hobe) at a political rally for the first time, though not as a slogan. In an interview after the song went viral, Shamim said that ‘Khela Hobe should be used in favor of peace and development and not against communal sentiments. I really hope that there is no bloodshed in this game and people get to see free and fair elections. Only then could the game be won.
Bhattacharya said that he had an inclination towards politics since school days. When boys used to collect pictures of sports personalities in school, Bhattacharya used to collect pictures of political figures.
