From Maradona to Mohun Bagan, Bengal's football heart could give a new poll symbol a life of its own

Shahid K Abbas New Delhi, Sep 18 (UNI) The decision of the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress to opt for "Football Player" as its election symbol carries a significance in West Bengal that reaches well beyond the mechanics of electoral politics. In a state where football is not simply a sport but an inherited emotion, a language of community and, for generations, a source of collective pride, the image of a footballer could evoke memories that few conventional political symbols can match. The political circumstances that necessitate a new election symbol may be complex, but the choice of…