As the West Bengal Assembly elections move into a decisive phase, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stepped up her grassroots campaign with a surprise visit to a busy Kolkata market. Wearing her signature white saree and slippers, she engaged directly with vegetable vendors and local shoppers, discussing rising prices of essential commodities like onions, potatoes, and green vegetables. She also heard grievances from women vendors and reiterated her government’s commitment to welfare schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar. The outreach comes amid an intense political battle with the BJP over campaign symbolism and optics, including recent remarks on “jhalmuri” politics and EVM concerns raised by Mamata during the ongoing election campaign.