Jono Sanjog Yatra: Abhishek Banerjee on New Path for Panchayat Polls, TMC Makeover

Abhishek Banerjee, National General Secretary of Trinamool Congress (TMC), on Tuesday embarked on his ‘Jono Sanjog Yatra’ from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold Coochbihar in Bengal. For the next two months, Banerjee will travel from Coochbihar in North Bengal to Sagar in South Bengal, conducting three-four meetings a day and a secret poll.

On Monday, Banerjee paid a visit to the Madan Mohan Mandir in Coochbihar.

However, this is not a padyatra.

Abhishek Banerjee explained: “We will hold three-four meetings a day. In the evening, we will meet local people, who will then vote for a candidate of their choice. Candidates for panchayats will be declared from there. This is the Jono Sanjog Jatra and the voting is ‘Gram Banglar Mothamoth’. This will be the first such attempt by any political party.”

Experts say the concept is new. For the polls, TMC has divided Bengal into eight zones.

PANCHAYAT POLLS

The panchayat elections is a big challenge for the ruling party, with factional fights a key issue. The TMC has already reviewed the situation in every area and candidate review, too, has been conducted, says a party insider.

Amid the allegations of corruption and the possibility that the decision on panchayat candidates could lead to infighting and violence, the leaders have come up with the yatra, say experts.

The slogan for the yatra is ‘Trinamuler Nabajagaron (awakening of the TMC)’.

WILL IT HELP?

According to party insiders, Banerjee’s travel across the state will help feel the pulse ahead of the panchayat and Lok Sabha polls.

Secondly, it will put an end to the high-handedness of local leaders in identifying candidates. There are allegations of corruption within the party for candidature. The TMC will now try to project that they want to bring corruption-free public representatives.

If this is goes as per the plan, the TMC can definitely reap its dividends, say experts.

The motto, according to Banerjee, is to rejuvenate the TMC and make better public representatives.

The question, however, is if it possible practically.

Shamik Bhattacharya, Bharatiya Janata Party’s chief spokesperson, said, “Nothing can be clean in this party. They have taken money for candidates, they have taken money for jobs, nothing is “secret”. The government will fall just after the Lok Sabha polls. No yatra can save it.”

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