Kolkata: Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has taken up the responsibility to look after her party organisation in Birbhum in the absence of district president Anubrata Mondal.
Banerjee held a meeting at her residence on Friday with her party leaders from Birbhum giving out a detailed outline of what would be the role of local leaders during the forthcoming Panchayat elections.
Mondal, who is currently serving judicial custody at Tihar jail, has not been removed from his present post. Senior Trinamool Congress leaders — Firhad Hakim, Moloy Ghatak and Pandabeswar MLA Naren Chakraborty will also take care of the party in the district. Bikash Roychowdhury will coordinate with the district Trinamool Congress leadership. Roychowdhury will be the spokesperson for the party in the district.
Sources said internal feud within the party was a matter of discussion at Friday’s meeting. It was learnt that Banerjee rebuked TMC leader Nanur Kajal Seikh for unnecessarily issuing statements on issues.
Senior TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya said Banerjee will stage a protest demonstration in front of BR Ambedkar Statue on March 29-30 against the Centre’s deprivation in releasing funds. “Banerjee will undertake the protest as the Chief Minister of Bengal demanding the release of Rs 1.15 lakh crore, which the Centre has not released yet. The Centre has not been clearing the dues under Awas Yojana, 100 days work, road construction,” Bhattacharya added.
TMC leaders in all districts will carry out similar protests in each block against the step-motherly attitude of the Centre.
On the proposed rally of Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at Sahid Minar on March 29, Bhattacharya said that it will take place as planned. The meeting is still uncertain as clearance has not yet been obtained from the Army. Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) and Trinamool Youth Congress (TMYC) will hold a joint meeting at Sahid Minar on March 29.
The joint meeting of the two separate wings of the ruling Trinamool Congress will be a common platform for Abhishek to raise his protest against the BJP-led Centre.