Abhishek launches ‘Jana Sanjog Yatra’, says BJP’s ‘communal’ narrative won’t hold ground

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee while launching the mass outreach campaign ‘Jana Sanjog Yatra’ (mass outreach drive) from Cooch Behar district on Tuesday stated that polls in Bengal will be held on the issue of development and not on the “communal” narrative propagated by the BJP.

Trinamool’s unique campaign, billed as one of its kind in the country, aims to reach out to the people at the block level ahead of the Panchayat elections to consolidate the party’s footprint besides empowering the people to choose their desired candidate for the forthcoming rural polls.

People at various levels will be able to cast their votes in favour of the candidates they like. Trinamool will then field those candidates selected by the people for the ensuing Panchayat elections.

“This is for the first time in the country that any political party has come up with such an initiative. You will never see a ruling party conducting such a campaign. But we believe that it is the people who are supreme in a democracy. The candidate you select through secret ballots will be given a nomination by the party,” Banerjee said addressing a rally in Cooch Behar’s Sitai.

Ballot boxes were put in various places where Abhishek held rallies on Tuesday. He urged people to cast their votes through secret ballots and elect candidates who will bring in more development works in the three-tier Panchayat system.

“People will select their candidates. No local leaders will enjoy the freedom to select the candidates. Trinamool Congress introduced the system where people will be able to choose their candidates,” he reiterated.

During the tenure of the campaign, he is expected to travel nearly 3,500 kms and hold more than 250 rallies across Bengal. The ruling party aims to consolidate its vote bank by conducting this campaign at the grassroots level. Abhishek commenced the mass outreach campaign at a temple in the Dinhata Assembly constituency. He spoke to locals and heard their grievances.

Hitting out at the BJP-led Centre, Abhishek said polls to 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal will be held on the issue of development and not on the “communal” narrative propagated by the BJP.

“The next Lok Sabha elections will be held on the issue of development and not on the issue of communal polarisation as promulgated by the saffron party,” he remarked. The Lok Sabha polls in the country are due in 2024.

“The Trinamool is the only party that will fight for your rights. The BJP-led government at the Centre has withheld funds under the MGNREGA scheme for at least 20 lakh people as it is yet to accept its defeat in the 2021 Assembly polls in Bengal. BJP has to be defeated. We will fight for the rights of the people of the state,” Abhishek added.

The family members of Premkumar Barman and Mozaffar Rahman, who died in BSF firing at Dinhata, Gitalda, met Abhishek. He spoke to them at length and assured them that the party would stand by them in their fight for justice.

Residents from across the district had gathered at the public meetings and the Adhiveshan camp held by Abhishek to convey their “motamot” (opinion) to him.

“It feels great to see someone as big a leader as Abhishek Banerjee mingle with common people and listen to our concerns. We hope to see more growth and prosperity in our land in the coming days,” said Deepu Rai, a resident of Bamanhat Gram Panchayat.

Another resident Anisur Rahman, who hails from Kalmati village, said: “It is beautiful to see him standing beside the people and conducting these meetings so gracefully at this level. We are hopeful of the Nabo Jowar (new wave) because this is how things should be done. Despite the heat, a huge crowd gathered to listen to him because we are hopeful to see the development we want for our people.”