Mandal, however, believes that people have become conscious about the political developments, especially after Singur and Nandigram. “The Left Front government has always had a very strong base among the farmers and villagers yet it performed poorly in the panchayat polls. This proves that grassroots people have lost their faith in the government,” said Mandal.

He claimed that he would not offer any particular manifesto. “I will not make promises like getting rid of unemployment or providing water and electricity. The government has been promising so many things but failed to meet its basic promise of establishing healthcare system,” he added.

Fighting for the medical rights of people is close to Mandal’s heart, as he is opposed to public-private partnership in medical profession.