New wave in dev reflected across state: Abhishek

Kolkata: With the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) scripting another emphatic victory in the Panchayat polls, party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday gave its credit to the people of Bengal.

Banerjee said that it was “a victory of the people, a victory of democracy”.

He once again said that the people of Bengal have given a befitting reply to the continuous propaganda and conspiracy which have been carried out by the Opposition parties.

Banerjee had carried out a rigorous mass outreach campaign, Trinamool-e Nabajowar for nearly 60 days along the length and breadth of the state to galvanize the party’s support base ahead of Lok Sabha elections next year.

It has helped the ruling party to register a thumping win this time as well in the Panchayat election. Banerjee had also called for the formation of “people’s Panchayat” as the voters in rural Bengal were given the opportunity to select their candidates in the three-tier Panchayat elections.

“A 60-day long journey that we had undertaken to set up peoples’ Panchayats not only made impressions on the hearts of the people but also emboldened the victory of Maa Mati Manush. People have given answers to the propaganda, conspiracy,” said Abhishek.

Banerjee further stated that the mass outreach programme undertaken by Trinamool has brought dividends to the ruling party in the Panchayat polls. “Unnayan-er-naba-jowar (a new wave in development) has been reflected throughout the state. People of Bengal have given their mandate despite propaganda and conspiracy. People’s mandate is like a command to us. I am committed to do justice to the support and blessings the people have showered on us,” Banerjee mentioned in his social media post. The election holds great significance for political parties as it allows them to assess their organizational strengths and weaknesses ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Panchayat election in Bengal encompasses 63,229 Gram Panchayat seats, 9,730 Panchayat Samiti seats, and 928 Zilla Parishad seats spread across 22 districts.

“Trinamool-e Nabajowar” (new wave in Trinamool) was started by Banerjee on April 25 and continued for two months. As a part of the programme, people decided Trinamool Congress candidates for the Panchayat polls. Under this campaign, the ruling party laid out the blueprint for the campaign, aiming to cover the rural booths in Bengal.