Mamata likely to attend booth level workers' meet on Feb 18

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee is likely to be present at the conference of the booth-level party workers scheduled to be held on February 18 at Netaji Indoor stadium. Sources said four to five party workers from each Assembly constituency had been asked to attend the meeting.

Booth-level workers play an important role in elections. There are more than 1 lakh booths in Bengal. Unlike TMC, the Opposition parties do not have the strength to field workers in every booth. The booth-level workers are required to be local residents.

Finding such workers for being fielded in the local booths is difficult. Realising the same, the BJP has already requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to do away with the age-old practice and allow them to field party workers, who are not local residents, in the booths.

Sources said booth-level workers had already been asked to make people aware of various schemes taken up by the state government. On the other hand, stress should be given to strengthen the organisation at the booth level.

The booth-level workers, who are aware of the functioning of EVMs and VVPat, have been asked to attend the meeting.

They have been asked to ensure that no tampering with the EVMs take place and election agents will have to remain at the booths from the beginning till the end as party leaders apprehend that the BJP might try to create chaos at the booths to countermand the poll.