Popular tea garden workers' leader Rajesh Lakra joins TMC

Kolkata: Rajesh Lakra, central committee member of Bharatiya Mulanivasi Adivashi Parishd joined Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday.

Malay Ghatak, state Labour minister handed over the party flag to him and welcomed him to the TMC family. Lakra popularly known as Tiger is the undisputed and most popular leader of the tea garden workers in Tarai and Dooars.

Expressing his faith on the development work carried out by Mamata Banerjee he said: "No government in the history of Tarai and Dooars has done so much for the tea garden workers like Mamata di. The daily wage for the tea garden workers has gone up to Rs 176 per day from Rs 67 per day during the Left Front government in 2010."

Malay Ghatak said negotiations are on and the daily wage is likely to go up further. Lakra said under Cha Sundari scheme houses would be built for tea garden workers. Work under the scheme had begun.

"No one ever thought of setting up houses for the tea garden workers who live in shanties," Lakra said, adding: "We do not want any divisive politics and want to live peacefully. I have joined on behalf of our organisation and will work for the development carried out by didi."

Ghatak said the party would be strengthened in the Tarai Doars areas that are dominated by the tribals and tea garden workers.