TMC, Cong may ally for panchayat polls
8 Jun 2012 1:52 AM GMT
Inspite of winning four out of six Municipality Boards in West Bengal this week, Mamata Banerjee may tie the knot with the Congress for better results in the upcoming panchayat polls in 2013, Trinamool Congress top brass told Millennium Post on Thursday. The two parties contested the municipal polls individually though the TMC alliance with the Congress at the Centre continues, despite hiccups.
Banerjee has apparently sought a report on the ‘political situation’ from each of the district committees of the TMC before ‘shortlisting candidates’ for the panchayat polls. ‘Panchayat polls are fought at the grassroot level. We have to be extremely cautious about choosing the right candidate,' said senior party leader and TMC MLA from the Rashbehari constituency in south Kolkata, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.
The TMC’s setback in the Haldia municipal polls has obviously led its leaders to put on their thinking caps. ‘In Haldia, our strategy may have been wrong – we were overconfident. The choice of candidates wasn’t perfect either. We have to be more restrained in our approach,' said Chattopadhyay. However, the party’s capture of Dhupguri and Durgapur – considered to be Left bastions of power–were commendable, said Chattopadhyay.
'The TMC should also communicate its achievements during its year in power at the helm of the state Government to the people during the run up to the panchayat polls.
'Mamata is the ideal leader and her government has achieved a lot in one year. But it is the party that builds a bridge between the government and the people. We have to be transparent in the functioning of the party and not display arrogance in any form before the panchayat elections,' cautioned Chattopadhyay.
He admitted though that the relationship between the TMC and the Pradesh Congress was ‘far from satisfactory’. A decision would be taken on the alliance if any would be taken closer to the polls, he said.
Banerjee has apparently sought a report on the ‘political situation’ from each of the district committees of the TMC before ‘shortlisting candidates’ for the panchayat polls. ‘Panchayat polls are fought at the grassroot level. We have to be extremely cautious about choosing the right candidate,' said senior party leader and TMC MLA from the Rashbehari constituency in south Kolkata, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.
The TMC’s setback in the Haldia municipal polls has obviously led its leaders to put on their thinking caps. ‘In Haldia, our strategy may have been wrong – we were overconfident. The choice of candidates wasn’t perfect either. We have to be more restrained in our approach,' said Chattopadhyay. However, the party’s capture of Dhupguri and Durgapur – considered to be Left bastions of power–were commendable, said Chattopadhyay.
'The TMC should also communicate its achievements during its year in power at the helm of the state Government to the people during the run up to the panchayat polls.
'Mamata is the ideal leader and her government has achieved a lot in one year. But it is the party that builds a bridge between the government and the people. We have to be transparent in the functioning of the party and not display arrogance in any form before the panchayat elections,' cautioned Chattopadhyay.
He admitted though that the relationship between the TMC and the Pradesh Congress was ‘far from satisfactory’. A decision would be taken on the alliance if any would be taken closer to the polls, he said.
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