The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday set up a committee under Abhishek Banerjee to bring back those party workers who have either become inactive or joined other parties to its fold.
The other members of the committee are Sovan Chatterjee, Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas and Jyotipriyo Mullick.
It may be recalled that party supremo Mamata Banerjee had been asking party leaders to get in touch with old workers. In several closed door meetings and public rallies, Banerjee had spoken about the party workers who were not afraid in "launching movements and even die for the party." In many meetings she had referred to Arup Bhadra, a loyal party worker who died prematurely.
After 2011, when Banerjee came to power, many workers from the CPI(M) and Congress and even BJP joined Trinamool Congress. Over the years, many of them have become local leaders. With their growth in many areas, the original Trinamool workers began distancing themselves from the party. This happened in many districts. Also, infighting in many districts became palpable and Mamata Banerjee in every meeting of the party cautioned leaders.
Even in today's core committee meeting, she asked Dr Shantanu Sen and Dr Nirmal Majhi who look after the Doctors' cell of the party, to give up infighting and work with the party together.
It may be recalled that despite Trinamool Congress's landslide victory in the 2016 Assembly election, eight of its ministers were defeated mainly due to infighting. A couple of candidates like Soham Chakraborty and Nirbed Roy, who had contested from Bankura and Tamluk, lost by narrow margins.
Though Trinamool has control over all the Zilla Parishads and most civic bodies, before the Panchayat election, party supremo does not want to take even the slightest chance.
She wants to bring back all the workers who have either become inactive or joined other parties to bring them back to the party's fold.
The committee will get in touch with the party workers and increase the party's base throughout the state. In 2019, the Lok Sabha election will be held and before that, the party wants to consolidate its base all over the state. The committee will chalk out programmes which will be held and develop intense mass contact.