Mamata to file nomination on Sept 10, tells party men it's preparation for 2024

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee, who will file her nomination for the bypolls in Bhowanipore Assembly constituency on Friday (September 10), urged the party workers on Wednesday not to become complacent as the by-election was a preparation for 2024 Lok Sabha election.

"Do not suffer from any kind of complacence. It has been found that in Bhowanipore during by-election the polling is around 40 per cent. The party workers often suffer from over-confidence. Give it up. Work seriously on the day of election and ensure that people go to the polling station to cast their votes. Remember, this is the preparation for 2024 Lok Sabha election,"she maintained. She said all the polling agents should complete two doses of vaccination. Baishanar Chattopadhyay will be her election agent.

By-election in Bhowanipore Assembly seat will be held on September 30. Results will be announced on October 3. Addressing a workers'conference at Ahindra Mancha, Banerjee urged party workers not to accompany her to the centre, where she would file her nomination in view of the pandemic.

She said there would be no central rally following the instruction of the Election Commission of India (ECI) due to the pandemic. There will be street corners and door-to-door campaign. All the senior leaders of TMC, including Subrata Bakshi, party's state president, Partha Chatterjee, party's secretary general, and other leaders like Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas and Sobhandeb Chattopdhyay will take part in door-to-door campaign.

She expressed her gratitude to Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, who resigned from Bhowanipore Assembly seat. "Sobhan da will contest from Khardah, where the by-election will be held in October-November. There will be 31 by-elections all over India, of which four will be held in Bengal at Khardah, Gosaba, Shantipur and Dinhata."

Banerjee alleged that a conspiracy had been hatched to defeat her in Nandigram. "I have filed a case in the High Court challenging the result. I know how people were not allowed to vote. But, I can't elaborate as the matter is pending before the court," she said adding "From day 1, they (BJP) had conspired so that I could not take part in the campaign by causing injury to me. Because of people's encouragement, I could complete the campaign on a wheel chair."

Banerjee said the people of Bhowanipore had always stood beside her. "In 2011 by-election, they had supported me. Again in 2016, they stood by my side. In 2001, I was the only Trinamool Congress MP from south Kolkata and then also I got the support of the people from Bhowanipore." She urged the party workers to maintain cool. "Don't fall into the trap of BJP. Maintain your cool and work seriously. Forget who is holding which post," she added.