Mamata, Abhishek may address party workers post Diwali; set agenda for LS polls

In a bid to lay down the political roadmap for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee and the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee are likely to address party workers and leaders after Diwali through a ‘Bijoya Sammilani’ meeting.

TMC has kicked off a series of such meetings which it plans to use for strategising for the upcoming Parliamentary polls. The party has released a long list of such meetings in all the districts in November. However, the party workers are looking ahead to what Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek have in store for them in how to prepare the ground for the elections.

Sources said both the leaders may address a rally during one such meeting. This event is likely to be held on November 16 once the Kali Puja and Diwali celebrations are over.

In this meeting, Mamata is likely to raise some issues based on which the party would be designing its election campaign. One of the major issues will be the Centre’s fund blockade for Bengal which has deprived lakhs of workers in the state who are yet to receive wages for the work they completed under the 100-day

work scheme.

Another issue that is likely to be raised is the way the BJP-led Centre is allegedly misusing the Central probe agencies to harass Opposition party leaders.

This apart, the need for TMC to bag the maximum seats out of the total 42 seats in Bengal will be highlighted. A party leader said that it is crucial to increase the party’s representation in Lok Sabha in a bid to decide on issues that are plaguing India.

As part of its ‘Bijoya Sammilani’ meetings, the party, according to the instructions of Abhishek Banerjee, has sent out invitations to its long-time associates and leaders who have in the past lamented that they are being “side-tracked” or “left-out” in the wake of organisational changes which have been made so far. They are also being felicitated at

these meetings.