kolkata: With an eye on the Panchayats polls—scheduled to be held next year—Trinamool Congress (TMC) will start special drives across the state to reach out to the people and strengthen its support base further after Durga Puja.
It was learnt that senior leaders of the party would visit the districts to take part in the drive. The roster to be followed for such visits is being prepared, sources said. From the meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium—which was attended by Trinamool Congress leaders—party chairperson Mamata Banerjee had instructed the party leaders to go to the Puja pandals to connect with the masses. She had also mentioned about the special drive, which would start after the Puja.
Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has already announced the names of the new block presidents, who have been asked to go to every household in their respective areas. The special drive will be conducted keeping in mind the Panchayat election, which is scheduled to be held in 2023, and subsequently the Lok Sabha election in 2024. According to political experts, Trinamool's target is to bag as many seats as possible. Daring the BJP that the 'khela' (game) for 2024 Lok Sabha elections would be set up in Bengal, Mamata Banerjee had earlier said she, along with the leaders (Chief Ministers) of other neighbouring states, would come together to oust the saffron party from the Centre. Urging her party workers and leaders to gear up for a fight against the BJP at Netaji Indoor Stadium earlier this month, Banerjee had claimed that she had the support of leaders from the neighbouring states. "….We are together now. There is Nitish ji, there is Akhilesh, there is Hemant, I am there and there are our friends. We are everywhere. Everyone will unite.There are around 100 seats in these states. How will they (BJP) form the government? We want a people's government and a 'janata darbar',"Banerjee had said. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had got 18 seats. Trinamool did not do well in North Bengal. It was learnt that the senior leaders will visit North Bengal. Abhishek Banerjee had met the leaders of all the districts and discussed about the performance of the party. During the special drive, people will be made aware of various schemes taken up by the state government.
There are 48,650 Gram Panchayat seats, followed by 9,217 Panchayat Samity seats and 825 Zilla Parishad seats. Senior Trinamool leaders said it would be difficult for the opposition to field candidates in all the seats. Along with North Bengal, stress would be given on Jungalmahal, where Trinamool lost some Gram Panchayat and Panchayat Samity seats. TMC national general secretary has made it clear that only those with transparent image will be given tickets and stern action will be taken against those who will try to intervene in government work. Abhishek Banerjee has said over and again that no one should be stopped from exercising their franchise.