Candidates are battling the scorching heat of Bengal’s elections with light meals and plenty of fluids

Amid an unforgiving sun that is pushing mercury levels in West Bengal to record highs this election season, candidates from various political parties, in their efforts to beat the heat, have resorted to copious fluids, juicy fruits and salads to keep themselves hydrated to hold.

April has indeed proven to be “the cruellest month”, to quote American poet TS Eliot, for all stakeholders in the subsequent Lok Sabha elections, a phenomenon few could have foreseen when the Election Commission announced the election manifesto in early March.

Senior politician and BJP nominee from Asansol, one of the hottest zones of the state, SS Ahluwalia, shared his views with PTI on the dangers of campaigning in the scorching heat.

”I take the elections very seriously and campaign for four hours every morning and evening. Sometimes I can’t hold the handle of my vehicle with the hood open because it gets so hot that it dries out the skin. I wrap a towel around my palm to prevent injuries,” the 73-year-old leader said.

Citizens of Bengal tasted a bitter taste of that April ‘cruelty’ on Tuesday on the last day of the month as Kolkata reached a temperature of 43 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature recorded by the city in 50 years.

In the Kalaikunda of Paschim Medinipur, where an air force station is located, the mercury reached an unbearable 47.2 degrees Celsius that day.

Regardless of their different political shades, the candidates are united in their focus on means of staying fit amid adverse climatic conditions.

Since mass campaigning cannot be sacrificed in any way until the voters press the EVM buttons, the leaders are ensuring that they stay hydrated enough to continue in these extreme weather conditions.

Water, fruits, juice and salads are on the diet list of Dakshin Kolkata Lok Sabha seat candidate Saira Shah Halim. Halim has chosen to avoid the midday heat and establish a daily campaign routine between 7:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“I always make sure I stay hydrated and to do that I drink a lot of water, ‘nimbupani’ and fruit juice,” she told PTI. A light diet consisting of salads, vegetables and cottage cheese is part of Halim’s “conscious choice” of meals. “I definitely stay away from red meat,” she said.

“Keep smiling, keep your body hydrated” is Ahluwalia’s mantra to beat the heat.

‘I have plenty of water, and water mixed with jaggery powder. Sometimes I find that a drink made by mixing ‘batasa’ (a hemispherical crispy cake made from sugar or molasses) with water is the best way to stay cool and hydrated,” he said.

Ahluwalia prefers plain curd with roti and vegetables during his campaigns in Asansol, which recorded some of the highest temperatures during the summer heat wave in West Bengal. “It was very tough on May 2 when the temperature reached 45 degrees. My skin has also turned brown,” the veteran leader said.

The saffron party’s candidate from Medinipur Lok Sabha, Agnimitra Pal, said she is also dependent on the same menu as Ahluwalia to keep going in the heat. “To keep out the heat, I drape Bengali handloom saris, tie my hair in a bun and enjoy this trip to the fullest. Roti and curd is my favorite food and I always carry ORS,” she said.

Trinamool Congress heavyweight candidate Saugata Roy, who is contesting from Dum Dum in Kolkata’s northern suburbs, said he relies heavily on water to avoid dehydration.

Television footage from the recent past showed the veteran leader enjoying an ice cream while interacting with the electorate during his campaign. Roy said he also uses a hat to avoid exposure to sunlight and prefers his signature white cotton kurta and dhoti during his campaigns.

The severe heat wave in southern and western districts of West Bengal is caused by dry westerly winds and strong solar radiation, the Met Department said. Among other places where the mercury crossed 40 degrees Celsius in the last few days were Krishnanagar (44 degrees Celsius), Bardhaman (44 degrees Celsius), Asansol (44.2 degrees Celsius), Purulia (43.7 degrees Celsius), Jhargram ( 44 degrees Celsius) and Sriniketan (43.6 degrees Celsius).

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)