Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi's son camapigns for mother Deepa Dasmunsi

RAIGANJ (WEST BENGAL): A teenaged boy held the attention of the gathering for a brief time, at Congress President Sonia Gandhi's election campaign in Raiganj of West Bengal today, soliciting votes for his mother.

Priyadeep Dasmunsi(15), son of former union minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi and Union Minister Deepa Dasmunsi took the stage and spoke for a couple of minutes like a well-honed politician before Gandhi addressed the rally.

Speaking mostly in Hindi, he said ''Everybody calls me the minister's son. But I am not just that. I am a member of the Congress family."

Urging for votes for his mother, who spoke before him, Priyadeep harped on the setting up of AIIMS here, a demand which Deepa Dasmunsi has repeatedly made.

"It was my father's dream to see an AIIMS hospital in Raiganj but it has not happened so far. That dream will be fulfilled under the leadership of Rahulji."

Gandhi, who was on the stage, was seen glancing at the young boy.

Training his guns on the opponents, the young boy called BJP a 'communal party' and asked people not to vote for it.

"My father is ill and my mother has to face a lot of problems. Trinamool Congress has caused a rift in the family," he said.

He was referring to the fielding of his uncle Satya Ranjan Dasmunsi by TMC from the same seat.

Later, Gandhi in her speech mentioned about setting up of the much-awaited AIIMS. "It hurts when the state government indulges in politics even in developmental works ... UPA government gave approval for the setting up of AIIMS but the past Left Front government and now the Trinamool government has not given land for it."

Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi (69) had suffered a massive cardiac arrest in 2008 that severely damaged one part of his brain because of the prolonged disruption of oxygen supply. He is in a private hospital in Delhi undergoing rehabilitative care.

This was not Priyadeep's first foray in the election hurly burly. In 2009 general elections he was seen on the stage seeking support for his mother.