'Dasu Da' for Bengalis, Mamata's close confidante; Edappal native Sivadasan's political journey

In the coal-mining district of West Bardhaman, a three-storey building on a small hillock away from Durgapur city is the Trinamool Congress's constituency war room. On the first floor, Chief Minister Mamata's confidante 'Dasu da' gives instructions in the Bengali language to local leaders sitting around a large table.

In 1978, when he arrived in Bengal with his Railway employee father, Edappal native Vadakkepattu Sivadasan did not know any other language except Malayalam. Today, Sivadasan speaks Bengali in the local patios that could even put a local Bhadralok to shame. His political journey started with the collapse of the CPM and the rise of the Trinamool. He became active in the Youth Congress in Bengal, putting in his experience of being part of KSU in Kerala. Sivadasan became a confidant of Mamata since the split of the Congress in 1998 and the formation of the Trinamool Congress. The political journey with Trinamool turned him into Dasu da among people. He was the Bardhaman district president for 11 years. He is the Trinamool state secretary and spokesperson. Although he contested the assembly elections twice from Jamuria and once from Raniganj, the ‘Outsider’ campaign run by his opponents did the trick against him.

In Bengal, Sivadasan gets more respect than a minister. He has six policemen on guard (four of whom have now been withdrawn by the Election Commission). In Asansol, no political move would happen without Dasuda's knowledge. When he decided not to contest the elections due to three defeats, Mamata 'Didi' assigned him a new job. This time, he is in charge of 10 constituencies in West Bardhaman district. He will visit the constituencies directly and focus on the weak spots in the campaign. He will coordinate with the IPAC agency in charge of the campaign and the grassroots leaders.

Sivadasan is sure of Trinamool coming to power again. He says that BJP will go below 40 and the Trinamool will get above 240. Sivadasan opined that BJP’s politics is not suitable for Bengal.

“Mamata will win. Villages are a stronghold of TMC. Trinamool won despite a pro-BJP wave in 2021. Since Congress and CPM are contesting alone, the votes that went to BJP will flow back. SIR will also not benefit them. Trinamool conducted the actual counting of SIR through a special 'Didir Doot' app before the Election Commission. The Election Commission is intervening and transferring all the officials. The people proposed by the BJP to be appointed in their place know very well that things will change after May 4”

Sivadasan’s family: Wife: Radha, son: Anurag (computer engineering student).