Trinamool consolidates base in Dooars
Darjeeling: With the Assembly elections round the corner the TMC is all set to strengthen its base in the Dooars region holding the hands of the tribal population. There are important tribal leaders who are joining the TMC.
After the crossing over of Rajesh Lakra, popular as Tiger to the TMC, on Monday popular Adivasi social worker from Nagrakata Sanjay Kujur joined the TMC. Kujur is a prominent social worker and is a well known face amongst the Adivasi community of Dooars.
While receiving the TMC flag, Kujur stated that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had lived up to her commitments to the tribal community. She had done much development in the region.
Nagrakata Assembly constituency in the Jalpaiguri district is reserved for Scheduled Tribe. Recently the sitting TMC MLA Sukra Munda had crossed over to BJP recently.
Rajesh Lakra, central committee member of Bharatiya Mulnivasi Adivasi Vikash Parishad after joining the TMC stated "No government in the past has done so much for the tea belt as Mamata Banerjee. The Chaa Sundari housing project will provide houses for landless tea garden workers. The daily wages of tea garden workers has gone up manifold from Rs. 67 during the Left Front days to Rs. 176 after she came to power in 2010. We hope that she will implement minimum wages also" stated Lakra who is a very popular tribal leader especially in the tea belt.
Political observers opine that joining of tribal leaders like Lakra and Kujur will definitely boost the TMC in Dooars at a time when Munda has deserted the party in favour of the saffron brigade.
In another development the police have asked home-stays in the Alipurduar district to furnish details of the occupants on a daily basis. This move is for security reasons with polls fast approaching.
Amitava Maity, Superintendent of Police, Alipurduar stated "Polls are round the corner hence we have beefed up security. We are keeping a strict tab on the home-stays of the district. We have communicated this to the home-stay owners." The home-stay owners have also welcomed the move.
There are around 95 home-stays in the district concentrated in popular tourist destinations including Buxa, Chilapata, Rajabhatkhawa, Raimatang, Chunabhatti. The district shares a state border with Assam and also an international border with Bhutan therefore making it strategically important.
