Mamata to flag off Panchayat poll campaign from Cooch Behar today

Cooch Behar: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on a two-day visit arrived to a rousing welcome to the districts situated in the northern parts of the state on Sunday.

She will be visiting Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri. The TMC Supremo is all set to take Cooch Behar by storm with her first-ever Panchayat poll campaigns, after a long gap of 15 years. With this programme, she will be hitting the campaign trails for the rural polls in Bengal.

Her campaign will begin with a public meeting at Chandmari in Cooch Behar on Monday.

The following day, she will address a rally in Mal in Jalpaiguri.

TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee arrived at Hasimara Air Force Station in the Alipurduar district on Sunday by a chartered plane and proceeded to ABN Seal College ground in Cooch Behar by helicopter. She will spend the night in a hotel in Cooch Behar.

Supporters lined both sides of the road to accord her a grand welcome, waving party flags and shouting slogans as her cavalcade stopped at Madan Mohan temple where she paid her respects from the vehicle.

On Monday, Banerjee will hold a meeting at Prananath High School ground in Cooch Behar. The Police have already inspected the venue. A stage has been constructed along with helipads at ABN Seal College ground and also at the Chandamari Primary Health Center ground.

Abhijit De Bhowmik, the Trinamool Congress President of Cooch Behar district, expressed enthusiasm, stating, “After a long time, our leader is coming to the district. The meeting will be held at Chandamari Prananath High School. Around five lakh people from the entire district are expected to attend. The workers are already brimming with excitement,”

This campaign marks Mamata Banerjee’s return to active campaigning for the Panchayat elections. Earlier she had abstained from actively participating in the 2013-2018 elections. Political pundits state that Cooch Behar holds immense significance as it was the launch pad of party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s successful Nabajowar campaign, which lasted nearly two months and garnered tremendous response from the people of the state.

According to sources within the Trinamool Congress party, Mamata Banerjee previously held a meeting in Chandamari in 2009. However, this time she holds the position of Chief Minister. The anticipation and excitement among Trinamool supporters are palpable as Banerjee embarks on her campaign trail.

After the meeting in Cooch Behar, Banerjee will head for Jalpaiguri on Monday. There she will halt for the night in a resort. On Tuesday at noon, she will address a public meeting in the Kranti Block of Mal Subdivision. She will address the rally at Chekenda Vandani ground. “Our party leaders and supporters are very excited about the programme. We are expecting more than a lakh people at the venue,” sated TMC leader Mahua Gope.

Banerjee is scheduled to return to Kolkata on Tuesday afternoon following which she will be addressing political meetings in the Junglemahal districts of Jhargram, Purulia, and Bankura.