India, April 15 -- It is not usual in India, in any state, to see political messaging in a language not commonly spoken there, let alone a foreign language. But in this Kolkata neighbourhood called Tangra - home to a small Chinese-Indian community - walls carry messages by parties in Mandarin amid the West Bengal elections, in a display of political outfits' efforts to not leave any voter out of their campaign ambit.

Tangra, popularly known as Kolkata's Chinatown, has red lanterns swaying above narrow lanes. Buddhist symbols are visible at eateries, entrances and along the lanes, and Asian grocery stores line streets filled with the smell of soy sauce and slow-cooked broths. A Chinese Kali temple also cannot be left unmentioned.

During ...