Bengal CM Mamata to Meet MPs, MLAs, Grassroots Leaders Today; Panchayat Polls Campaign Launch Likely

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to launch the campaign for the panchayat elections today, and will also be addressing a meeting with all leaders and workers of the Trinamool Congress. The party completed 25 years since being founded and wants to start the year with stress on the upcoming polls.

According to sources, the chief minister will be addressing an organisational meeting with all party leaders and workers — from MPs to district presidents — at Nazrul Mancha in Kolkata. On the party’s birthday on the first day of the New Year, her message to the party was to fight towards strengthening the federal structure of India.

The TMC is planning to come up with a new building for its headquarters, for which it held a bhoomipujan on Sunday presided over by national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who was accompanied by other senior leaders. He addressed the media after the ceremony about the line on which the party will be contesting the panchayat polls, stressing that the elections will be peaceful.

“We have to fight divisive and communal politics, and bring about communal harmony. The Bengal model will show a path to India. The truth should win, we have to fight for truth. Panchayat elections will be peaceful,” he said, adding that the chief minister will be issuing guidelines and the mantra for the polls at the meeting today.

Party insiders said Mamata will discuss the panchayat polls as well as address issues of the state government’s development works, with special focus on the issue of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

“The government has done tremendous work under Awas Yojana. The list where most of the distribution was fake is from East Medinipur in 2018, and we all know who was responsible,” Abhishek said, taking a subtle dig at opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari without naming him.

It is clear that the TMC will encash the Awas Yojana issue in a different way. The BJP, too, is gearing up for panchayat elections.

“They should make a resolution on their birthday to stop corruption. Let them do their meeting, we are also prepared for the polls,” said BJP leader Dilip Ghosh.

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