‘TMC may have to boost organisation in Birbhum’

KOLKATA: Ahead of the Panchayat elections in the state, the Trinamool Congress may have to work on its party organisation in Birbhum in the wake of an exodus of a substantial amount of workers from TMC on Saturday in the absence of the district president Anubrata Monda, opined political analysts.

Even as the heavyweight leaders of the party remain tight-lipped about the exodus, sources in Birbhum said that more than 2000 workers have called it quits at a party meeting on Saturday led by TMC’s booth president in Mahidpur village- a minority-dominated area which was considered a TMC stronghold. These party workers have decided to pledge their alliances to Left-Front and Congress alliance. This includes TMC booth presidents Janarul Mullick and Seikh Sahajul, and their deputies like Nuruddin Mollah and Allal Mollah, among others.

If this pattern of exodus continues in Birbhum then political observers are of the opinion that Birbhum may well turn out to be TMC’s "Achilles heel" in the upcoming panchayat polls. This exodus also happened at a time when the district president Anubrata Mondal is in Tihar jail in a relation to a case concerning cattle smuggling. Mondal was a strongman who is said to have known the district like the back of his hand. In his absence, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has been playing the role of an observer.

Sources said the exodus has led the party to rethink its strategy. Some have termed the ones who left as belonging to the anti-Anubrata lobby. Such an exodus of lower-rung leaders may strengthen the Opposition which presently needs booth-level workers to fight elections. Their numbers at the moment are inadequate compared to that of the ruling party.