Madarihat-Birpara bypoll: TMC manifesto focuses on welfare of tea plantation workers, infra dev

Alipurduar: On Monday, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) released its election manifesto for the upcoming by-election in Madarihat Assembly Constituency. The manifesto emphasises key commitments, including the welfare of tea plantation workers, the construction of the Birpara flyover and efforts to make Birpara a dolomite-free town. The manifesto was released at the Madarihat-Birpara TMC election office by district president and Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik, flanked by the candidate Jay Prakash Toppo and other leaders.

The TMC manifesto pledged to distribute land titles (pattas) to tea garden workers through the Cha Sundari extension scheme immediately after the elections. Plans also include constructing a bypass to address traffic congestion at the Birpara crossing. Construction of a Gorkha Bhavan and appointing a chairperson; constructing a college in Madarihat and installing dams to protect villages from river erosion found prominence in the manifesto.

The manifesto promises clean drinking water access for all residents, the development of elephant corridors to protect wildlife and communities and an underpass near NH31 at Torsa bridge to connect Titi forest and Jaldapara forest. Birpara Town is set to become dolomite-free, with four new police stations planned for Goerkata and a rural hospital to be established in Binnaguri.

Prakash Chik Baraik stated: “The state government, under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has made significant strides for tea garden communities and rural areas like Madarihat. We’ve seen the impact

of these efforts. In the 2021 Assembly election, the BJP led by around 29,000 votes, but in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, their lead in this seat reduced to just 11,000. We are confident our people-oriented manifesto resonates with local voters and we believe they will support us wholeheartedly. We are set to win this seat for Mamata Banerjee.”