12-member panel to draw up TMC's poll strategy

Kolkata: A 12-member committee has been formed under the directions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee comprising several ministers inorder to determine strategies for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the party's secretary general Partha Chatterjee said on Sunday.

The committee would look at the applications by aspiring candidates and forward a short list to Banerjee, he told reporters here.

The members are Partha Chatterjee, Subrata Bakshi, Abhishek Banerjee, Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Shashi Panja, Malay Ghatak, Jyotipriyo Mallick, Suvendu Adhikari and Derek O' Brien.

The committee will prepare the blueprint for the election campaign and get it ratified by Banerjee. He said in the last meeting of the party, she had sought the bio-data of those who were willing to fight the elections.

Chatterjee said the vandalism of the BJP that is causing serious disturbance to the peaceful atmosphere in Bengal will be the main highlight during the poll campaign. "In the name of "Sankalpa yatra" they have taken the "sankalpa" (pledge) to destabilise Bengal. They are spreading hate politics and trying to incite one community against the other," he said.

Chatterjee also added: "In the name of "Sankalpa yatra", the BJP supporters tried to create trouble in Kolkata and incite one community against the other."

He maintained that the BJP had no political agenda in Bengal except stalling the development projects taken up by Banerjee. "Despite the huge loan burden, the Mamata Banerjee government has carried out all-round development in Bengal. The BJP has become jealous and is trying to stall it. But their venture will not be effective as the people have seen the development that has taken place."

The minister further said that the Trinamool Congress works with the people throughout the year and this is the USP of the party. "The BJP leaders who are coming to Bengal and flying back to Delhi after attending rallies do not have any ground in Bengal and that is why they have to find out space where their helicopters can land," he said, adding: "The people in Bengal know that they get Trinamool leaders by their side throughout the year and this is the main strength of the party."

He also added that the leaders would go to the people and request them to maintain cool and not to get swayed by rumours or any attempt to divide them. "BJP has failed to understand the political heritage of Bengal. We believe in communal harmony and peace and any attempt to disturb it will be foiled by the people."

Sunday's 'Sankalp yatra' bike rally is a part of the BJP's countrywide pre-poll exercise to establish connect with the masses. BJP workers clashed with the police in several places of the state while taking part in the rally. "These attempts will be dealt with strongly by the administration," Chatterjee said.