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‘Budget looks like advertisement? So what?’ Asks TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee

Bengal budget

West Bengal Chief Minister & TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday launched a blistering attack on the BJP which is its main opposition in the upcoming state Assembly elections.

Hitting out at the saffron party for criticizing her government for presenting a ‘populist’ state budget on February 5, the Trinamool Congress supremo said that ‘some are saying that the state budget is an advertisement ahead of polls, even if it is an advertisement, what is the problem’.

Also See: Trilateral fight in West Bengal polls-problem with the Left

She also slammed the BJP for claiming that the Trinamool regime will lose the West Bengal elections. While addressing the state Assembly, Banerjee exuded confidence of winning the assembly elections for a consecutive third term.

The BJP, Left and the Congress boycotted the Budget session in the state Assembly. The saffron party MLAs created a ruckus in the Assembly over TMC government’s decision not to invite Governor Jagdeep Dhankar on the first day of the session.

Various TMC leaders in West Bengal, including many from the intelligentsia had castigated the BJP for using the platform of Netaji’s Birthday celebration in Kolkata to raise Jai Shri Ram slogans, with support coming even from Congress leaders.

Also Read: For Bengal election, Congress and the Left front form alliance with the INC high command giving official confirmation

The TMC government in its Budget 2021 outlined that 500 para-teachers will be employed for 100 new Nepali, Hindi and Urdu schools. While presenting the state’s budget statement, Banerjee had said that all kinds of road tax will be lifted from January 21 to June 21 and the free ration system will continue till June 21.

The TMC regime will also introduce ‘Netaji battalion’ in Kolkata Police. The Budget also said that the ‘Duare Sarkar‘ initiative started by Banerjee’s dispensation will take place twice a year. Tourism industries will receive loans between Rs 50 thousand to Rs 1 lakh.

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After quitting West Bengal cabinet, Rajib Banerjee resigns from TMC

Rajib-Banerjee

Days after resigning from Mamata Banerjee cabinet, Rajib Banerjee on Friday resigned from the Trinamool Congress and the West Bengal Assembly. Rajib was the forest minister in the Bengal government and represented Domjur in Howrah. This comes as another setback for TMC, which is going to contest the West Bengal elections 2021 not only against the BJP,  but also against  the Left- Congress alliance.

Banerjee met Speaker Biman Banerjee at the state Assembly today and submitted his resignation letter.

“I have resigned as the MLA of the state assembly. I submitted my resignation letter to the speaker. I thank my party supremo Mamata Banerjee for providing me with the opportunity to serve the masses,” Banerjee, a two-time MLA, said. Talking to the media after tendering his resignation, Banerjee said that he is still a member of the party but is not yet mentally prepared to take a step.

“I believe to do good for people, & party affiliation is necessary in a dynamic democracy. I will tell you of my decision in coming days”, he added. “In the days to come, I would continue to serve the people of the Domjur constituency,” he further added.

Also Read: West Bengal: a tough battlefield for BJP

Earlier, in a letter to the CM, Rajib Banerjee had said, “I regret to inform you that I hereby tender my resignation from my office as Cabinet minister being in charge of Forest department.”

The TMC has been hit by a series of defections ever since Nandigram mascot and party heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari jumped ship to join the BJP along with nine MLAs.

Also See: Trilateral fight in West Bengal- issue with the Left

On Wednesday, TMC MLA from Uttarpara, Prabir Ghosal stepped down as district core committee member and spokesperson of the party’s Hooghly unit. The TMC had issued a show-cause notice to Ghosal for making anti-party remarks.

On January 22, Rajeeb Banerjee had stepped down from his ministerial post. Speculations were rife at that time that he may quit the ruling party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the crucial assembly elections due in April-May. BJP leaders have already said that some political leaders are likely to join their party during Shah’s visit.

Shah’s weekend tour 

Shah was scheduled to land in Kolkata on Friday and would be camping in the state over the weekend for the party’s election campaign.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

“On Saturday morning, Shah will be visiting Iskcon, Mayapur. Then he will be going to Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas, a bastion of Matuas, where he will address a public rally. Later in the day, he will hold a closed-door meeting with social media cell of the party. He has some other engagements too,” a state BJP leader said.

During Shah’s last visit to the state in December 2020, former TMC heavyweight and minister Suvendu Adhikari had joined the BJP.

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Support of Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury towards the gesture of Mamata Banerjee at the function can surprise many

Congress leader, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had stated that the sloganeering at the function in Kolkata on January 23 was done specifically to insult the CM of West Bengal and that he condemns it.

Defence of TMC supremo, Mamata Banerjee by West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, over the issue of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary event, did come as a bit of a surprise for many who are aware that he is a known Mamata Banerjee critic, who at one point had even called her chameleon hankering for the post of PM. But it bears political significance and also gives a glimpse into what could be the Congress plans for West Bengal in the election season.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

Rahul Gandhi did two tours of Tamil Nadu in a short span and the reason is that he wants to send a message to the DMK, that an alliance with them will not be on a begging bowl basis. The Congress wants to contest in over 40 seats, given that the state gave the largest number of MPs to the party during the Lok Sabha polls. The huge crowds that greeted Rahul Gandhi is also the Congress’s way of showing to the DMK that it has a presence in the state and that its belief that Congress would be a liability is unfounded.

The next tour of Rahul Gandhi is expected soon in Bengal. And, here is the plan. He is most likely to hit the areas where the BJP is believed to be in the stronghold or from where it has won in the Lok Sabha polls like jangalmahal regions. Even if parts of TMC stronghold are chosen as part of his tour, it is unlikely that he will attack the TMC aggressively, which hints at a post-poll alliance or external support to TMC.

The logic is simple. The Congress may have formed an alliance with the Left to take on Mamata, but it also knows that a defeated TMC would be a huge boost for the BJP’s plans for an all India presence. Mamata Banerjee is one of the strongest leaders. It is because she has taken on the BJP and the prime minister directly on many issues like demonetization, CAA-NRC, and Farmers’ protests. Her defeat would mean that the Opposition’s fight against the BJP gets weaker.

But the Congress party is in a dilemma. On one hand, the TMC has won away about 20 MLAs of the Congress and this is unacceptable to the cadre. This was also one of the reasons why Chowdhury pushed for an alliance with the Left, which is to teach a lesson to the TMC.

Also see: Battleground of Bengal election 2021

Also, on the other hand, as a national party that wants to fight the rising clout of regional players, Congress cannot be seen as not putting up a fight. But there is no denying that both the TMC and the Congress realize that fighting each other would only end up strengthening the BJP. The entry of players like Owaisi has only made things tougher for the TMC. He is likely to cut into the minority votes of Mamata which have till now been solidly behind her. He could also threaten Chowdhury’s minority vote bank in Murshidabad, which is his stronghold. Hence the need to “stick together” without making it, looks so.

Recently Sougato Roy of the TMC had thrown a googly at the Congress by asking it to join hands to keep the BJP away. Chowdhury on behalf of his party had rejected it, & instead he asked it (TMC) to merge with the Congress. But behind this, what seemed like an off-the-cuff remark, is a plan and idea brewing, which is that the BJP is the bigger enemy.

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Mamata Banerjee called AIMIM the B-team of BJP and that it would not be a factor in the election

rinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said that Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM would not be a factor in the upcoming assembly polls  in the state as its role as “B team of the BJP” has been exposed in the Bihar elections.

During a meeting in Murshidabad, a Muslim-dominated district, Banerjee urged party leaders to put up a united fight against the BJP and the other divisive forces. Murshidabad district comprises 22 assembly seats.

“During the core committee meeting, Mamata di assured us that AIMIM would not be a factor in Murshidabad district. She told us that Owaisi’s party was exposed after the Bihar polls,” a local TMC leader said.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

In the recently concluded Bihar elections, the AIMIM won five seats in the Muslims-dominated Seemanchal region on the border of West Bengal. Earlier this month, Owaisi had met Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui of Hooghly district’s Furfura Sharif to discuss the seat-sharing arrangement. The AIMIM chief has already expressed his desire to fight the upcoming assembly elections in the state. The TMC had dubbed the AIMIM’s entry in the state as an attempt to split the Muslim votes in the state and help the BJP.  The AIMIM has termed the allegation as “baseless” and “motivated”.

A deciding factor in nearly 100-110 seats in the state, Muslims, who constitute 30 percent of the population, till 2019, have acted as a bulwark of the TMC against its rivals, with most of them voting in favour of the party, considering it to be a “credible” force that can resist the saffron surge.

Also see: Battleground of Bengal election 2021

In a development that might upset several political equations in the election-bound state, Siddiqui on Thursday floated a new political outfit, contending that he wishes to be the kingmaker after the polls. The influential Muslim cleric said that his new outfit-Indian Secular Front (ISF), plans to contest the elections from all 294 assembly seats in the state. Elections to the Bengal assembly are likely to be held in April-May.

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Bengal CM & TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee to fight state election from Nandigram-what could be her strategy to counter BJP

On Monday, in the run-up to the West Bengal election, to announce her candidature from the East Medinipur assembly constituency, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo, Mamata Banerjee returned to Nandigram. The move came as an attempt to take the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) head-on in what is increasingly looking to be her toughest political battle, from a place that in many ways had re-launched her a decade ago.

“I will contest from Nandigram. It is my lucky place.” she said, addressing a rally in the town, while reassuring voters from her constituency, Bhowanipore (in South Kolkata), that she would either field a good candidate, or might even contest from both seats.

Also See: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election

The move serves the twin purposes of snubbing the BJP and showing solidarity with farmers in the context of the farmers’ protests. Adhikari, who recently defected over to the BJP, had contested from Nandigram in 2016. Among those who have switched sides, Adhikari is considered to be the biggest loss of TMC. This was because he was having  a considerable influence not just in his hometown, East Medinipur, but also in Purulia, Bankura and West Medinipur. Reacting to Banerjee’s announcement, BJP President (Bengal unit), Dilip Ghosh, said that Banerjee has decided to contest from Nandigram because she was looking for a “safe seat”.

Also Read: Dilip Ghosh asked Chatradhar Mahato to leave TMC and join BJP

Adhikari, too, threw a challenge at Banerjee and said that if she is not defeated by a half lakh votes then he would quit politics. “If I am fielded by my party from Nandigram, I will defeat her by a margin of at least 50,000 votes or I will quit politics,” he stated. Adhikari, however, said that unlike the TMC, which is run “autocratically” by Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek, in BJP, the candidates are decided after discussion and it was for the party to take a call on his candidature. “I donot know from where I will be fielded, or whether I will be fielded,” he said, addressing BJP workers after a three-km roadshow.

Also See: West Bengal election 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC  

Nandigram, it may be mentioned, has a dominant Muslim population and it may not be an easy win for BJP for more reasons than one.

Political commentator, Sabysachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, dubbed Mamata Banerjee’s decision to fight the polls from Nandigram, a political masterstroke. SBR Chaudhury added, “She has cornered Suvendu on the one hand and is also trying to connect with nationwide farmer-agitation.”

The Trinamool Congress is opposed to the Centre’s farm laws. Banerjee, it may be mentioned, was catapaulted to power on the back of a farmer-movement and an agitation against land-acquisition in Nandigram and Singur. The decision can surely bring Mamata Banerjee closer to the farmers’ protests.

Banerjee is presently an MLA from Bhawanipore constituency. “Nandigram is my elder sister and Bhawanipore is my younger sister. I will give a strong candidate from Bhawanipore also. I may fight from both seats. I am requesting our party president Subrata Bakshi that they should consider my candidature from Nandigram,” she said.

What is Mamata’s strategy to counter Adhikari and BJP?

The districts of Medinipur East and West have 16 and 18 constituencies, respectively. Mamata Banerjee made a pre-emptive move by ousting Suvendu Adhikari’s father and brother from Trinamool Congress. Why did she do it? She was aware that they will also quit eventually. She wanted to view the battlefield with clarity.

Mamata is happy that Suvendu Adhikari did not launch a new party. A new party could have harmed Mamata’s political capital more. Now it is a battle clearly against BJP, its communalism, and Modi and Shah’s politics, not endorsed by a large section of Bengal-voters, according to Mamata.

Some leaders did not get importance during Suvendu’s time in TMC. Mamata has now transferred full authority to them. Leaders like Sufiyan and Abu Taher are now organizing rallies.

The actual Nandigram is 28 km from where the police firing took place. Mamata plans to hold another meeting there. She will devote more time in the area to retain TMC’s stronghold over there. Every constituency there has a significant number of Muslim voters who, according to Mamata, will not back Suvendu Adhikari as he now belongs to BJP.

Technically, the saffron party has no organization there. They are just using Suvendu Adhikari and ex-TMC workers. They are trying to win over the masses via Modi’s and Suvendu’s photographs. As a countermeasure, Mamata has put out her photographs in posters.

TMC workers are enthralled by the decision of Mamata to fight the election from Nandigram. Why? Since Suvendu Adhikari’s constituency is Nandigram, there were expected difficulties due to the sudden shift. It would also mean a chance to take the battle to the defectors like Suvendu. Although he is not contesting this election, BJP might set him up to campaign in areas where he was popular.

Mamata, in this decision, has essentially accepted Suvendu’s challenge that he had thrown at her at a recent rally saying that if she held a rally in Nandigram, he will do the same. So, now the fight will be between Mamata and Suvendu.

Apart from Muslims, many of the scheduled caste voters also may not support BJP as they have been loyal to Mamata. So, it remains to be observed how BJP will counter it.

Idea of Nandigram

Nandigram is not a single village. It is rather a symbolic crux of Bengal politics. It was through the Nandigram movement that Mamata tasted success. The movement had begun in Singur and ended in Nandigram.

In 2007, Nandigram faced a crisis when a police firing in connection with land acquisition for a 14,000-acre chemical hub project by Indonesia’s Salim Group killed 14 people. The then opposition had pegged the number of people killed at 50.

The incident brought the Opposition and the intelligentsia together who raised the slogan “Paribartan Chai”, which resounded through Bengal. Coupled with the land agitation movement led by Banerjee in Singur that drove out Tata Motors’ Nano project, it marked the beginning of end of the Left Front regime in West Bengal.

As for this year’s state election, Mamata will be holding many rallies and padayatras. And for farmers, whose numbers are significant in the area, she would be making certain announcements after February when election dates are published.

On Monday, Mamata sounded the bugle for her electoral war in Nandigram to combat Suvendu’s politics and oust the probability of BJP’s settlement in the area. Technically, Mamata wants to put a stop to BJP’s aspiration to rule in the area. And Nandigram is very symbolic in that aspect.

Monday’s crowd was pretty positive. So, tit-for-tat politics will continue but Mamata has faith in her people and she believes that only deep contact will make the victory possible.

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Family of Bengal BJP unit president Dilip Ghosh has registered for the SwasthyaSathi Card provided by Mamata government

While Dilip Ghosh was all busy in criticizing the various policies of the state government, especially the health policy symbolized by the SwasthyaSathi Card, the health policy of the state has got beneficiaries from unexpected quarters. In a peculiar twist in the Bengal’s political tale, the family of Dilip Ghosh, the president (ninth) of the Bengal unit of BJP has registered for the SwasthyaSathi Card provided by the state government led by Mamata Banerjee.

Dilip Ghosh’s family resides in Gopiballabhpur in Jhargram district. He has been the biggest critic of the SwasthyaSathi Card of the state government and had rallied for the Ayushman bharat yojana of the central government. In one of the camps set up by under the Duare Sarkar scheme launched by the state government led by Mamata Banerjee, the family members, the younger brother of Dilip Ghosh, Hirak Ghosh and his cousin, Sukesh Ghosh registered for the SwasthyaSathi Card by standing in a queue.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

The nursing homes and health-centres in the state have been given advisory on the functioning of the SwasthyaSathi Card. The state government has made it clear that if the health-centres return the people coming in for treatment using the SwasthyaSathi Card, then the license of the centre would be cancelled. Under the SwasthyaSathi Card policy, every beneficiary family is entitled to receive a support of around Rs 500000 for health-related issues per year.

Also see: Battleground of Bengal election 2021

The outreach programme of TMC over various policies of the state government in the run-up to West Bengal election is being accompanied by arguments over the issues of the farm laws and the CAA-NRC. On the later issue the TMC had asserted its opposition to the idea. In a parallel development of the fight between TMC and BJP for the upcoming election, CM Banerjee asserted in the recently-held rally at Ranaghat that the Matuas in the state are already citizens and that they do not need certification from BJP. She added that in the case of Assam, where the state’s NRC was drawn up, around 22 lakh people were out of the list, out of which 19 lakh were Bengalis.

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After highlighting Duare sarkar scheme, Mamata Banerjee said that state government is making arrangements for free Covid vaccine for everyone in Bengal

MAMATA

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is placing the cards of Duare Sarkar scheme and the pandemic management cautiously to counter the efforts by the saffron camp to make gains in the Bengal polity. The CM has said that the West Bengal government is making arrangements to provide free COVID vaccines to all the people of the State. This development of the CM’s announcement comes in the run-up to the state election.

In an open letter, Ms. Banerjee said that the Covid warriors, including police, home guards, civil defence volunteers, correctional home and disaster management employees, will be administered vaccine on a priority basis.

“I am happy to inform that our government is making arrangements for reaching the vaccine to all people of the State free of any charge,” the Chief Minister said in the letter addressed to the frontline workers.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

Ms. Banerjee further expressed her gratitude to all the Covid warriors for their selfless service to the people of West Bengal. India is set to launch its COVID-19 vaccination drive from January 16 with priority to be given to nearly three crore healthcare and frontline workers across the country. The announcement comes when the state has faced discriminatory attitude from the centre in terms of fund allocation, like the GST compensation and the relief fund to be provided for the pandemic management and to deal with the Amphan cyclone.

Also see: Battleground of Bengal election 2021

Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had made a similar announcement. The southern State will also go to polls along with Bengal. The Bihar government has also given the cabinet nod to provide free vaccine to every citizen of the state, a promise that the BJP made in its manifesto for the assembly elections held in October-November.

Also see: New Mutants of Coronavirus

Mamata highlighted the Duare Sarkar scheme

Recently the Bengal CM had also said that more than two crore people have visited Duare Sarkar  camps, a massive outreach programme to make schemes of the state government more accessible to the public.

Launched on December 2 last year, Duare Sarkar aims to bring 11 schemes of the state government, including Swastha Sathi (health scheme), Khadya Sathi (public food distribution scheme), Jai Johar and Kanyashree (a cash transfer scheme aimed at retaining girls in schools and preventing their early marriage) to the doorsteps of the people. The campaign is sought to capture the last 10 year’s work of the TMC government.

Elaborating the achievements of the Duare Sarkar scheme, Banerjee tweeted, “Almost 90 Lakh people across West Bengal received different kinds of services. This includes 62 Lakh beneficiaries under Swasthya Sathi, 7 Lakh beneficiaries who received SC/ST/OBC certificates and 4 Lakh beneficiaries who received assistance under Krishak Bandhu.”

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Amit Shah highlighted the difference between the state government and the GOI over Cash benefit scheme

amit_shah

The GOI has been under attacks and scathing criticisms from multiple sides over the farmers’ protests. Under this situation, Home Minister Amit Shah rallied in Bengal, targeting the Mamata Banerjee government over its refusal of central funds under the PM-Kisan cash benefit scheme. Ms. Banerjee’s government had refused to implement the scheme of direct cash transfer to farmers.

Ms Banerjee, one of the staunchest critics of the BJP-led government, has been vociferous about the farm laws, suggesting that the BJP should either withdraw the farm laws or step down.

The TMC chief has repeatedly said that she supports the demands of farmers. In a series of tweets, she has even threatened to launch nationwide protests if the laws are not withdrawn.

“GOI must withdraw the anti-farmer bills. If they do not do so immediately, we will agitate throughout the state and the country. From the very start, we have been strongly opposing these anti-farmer bills,” she had said in one of the tweets.

The BJP is now pressing forward that West Bengal government refused for the direct cash benefit to farmers. The state had asked that the money, ₹ 6,000 annually to each farmer be routed through it. The centre had declined, saying that it would destroy the spirit of direct benefit transfer if money is routed through state government. From BJP chief JP Nadda to West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar, all have criticized the Chief Minister over the issue in the recent days.

Shah said, “After independence, Bengal would contribute one-third to the GDP. It has fallen ever since. Bengal’s contribution to industrial production right after independence was 30 percent. Now it is at 3.5 percent. In 1960, Bengal was one of the richest states in the country. In 1950s, Bengal produced 70 percent pharma products. Now it is around 7 percent. Bengal jute industries that gave employment to many are shut. Our sankalp is to make Bengal Shonar Bangla once again”.

Shah also expressed happiness about the induction of ex-Trinamool Congress leaders into the party led by Suvendu Adhikari.

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No need to worry about NRC, NPR & CAA as refugee colonies in Bengal are recognized, states Mamata Banerjee

MaamatA

On Tuesday, while addressing a rally in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that refugee colonies have been recognized in the state, and that no one needs to fear the National Register of Citizens, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Population Register.

Banerjee also accused the BJP of trying to convert West Bengal into “riot-torn” Gujarat and dared the Union government to impose President’s Rule in the state. “BJP has created a new religion of riots and hatred among communities,” she alleged.

Also See: West Bengal election 2021: battleground for TMC and BJP

The TMC supremo reiterated that BJP-national president J P Nadda’s convoy was not attacked and wondered why “convicted criminals” were accompanying him. “If the BJP and the central government think they can scare us by bringing in central forces and transferring state cadre officers, they are wrong. The Centre is summoning our officers. No one wanted to hurt him (Nadda) or his convoy,” Banerjee said.

The flare-up comes at a time when the BJP-led Centre and the TMC government are locked in a new tussle after stones were pelted by alleged Trinamool men at Nadda’s motorcade. It was also blamed by certain observers that the attack was staged by the BJP men to get a chance of bringing in centre’s intervention.

Banerjee further added, “Why were so many cars accompanying his convoy? Why were convicted criminals accompanying him? The goons who vandalized the bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar last year were also accompanying Nadda. People get infuriated when they see such goons roaming free. I dare the Centre to impose President’s Rule in Bengal.”

She also accused the Centre of interfering in the state’s jurisdiction by summoning IPS officers serving under the state government.

Referring to a recent letter addressed to the prime minister by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy over changing the national anthem, the Chief Minister said that the people of the state will give the party a befitting reply if it goes ahead with such a “misadventure”.

In his letter to PM, Swamy had argued that Tagore’s ‘Jana Gana Mana’, which was adopted by Indian Constituent Assembly on 24 January 1950 as India’s national anthem, neither reflects post-independence Indian reality as it contains ‘Sindh’ (which now lies in Pakistan) nor is it clear for whom this was written as the Nobel prize-winning poet composed it in 1911.

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Bengal Government led by TMC under Mamata Banerjee completes 10 years as the ruling regime of West Bengal

Trinamool Congress – TMC just completed its 10 years as a ruling party in West Bengal. It is looking forward to releasing the party’s final report card. The major point of focus shall be the development and reforms brought in by the party since it came into power in 2011 after dislodging Left front from the power.

The recent highlight of TMC is the biggest outreach program it launched, as part of which the workers and leaders of TMC would reach 10 million households in the state focusing on the development strategies. The report card is crucial as it plays an integral role in the upcoming 2021 assembly polls. As per a statement issued by a senior TMC official, the report card will highlight the entire development program launched by TMC in the past 10 years. The official further added, “Each department of the government would come up with its own ledger on what it has done in these years, projects launched and promises kept. The report card would highlight more than a dozen programs of the government.”

TMC has also introduced a new outreach programme called ‘Bongodhhoni’ which means ‘sound of Bengal’. Launched by the party leader and Chief Minister of West Bengal -Mamata Banerjee, it focuses on reaching out to all the women who might not even be TMC supporters to bring about a social movement in support of women. Another interesting programme launched by TMC is the ‘Duare Sarkar’ briefly translated to ‘Government at doorstep’. This program aims to highlight the development activities and programs introduced by the ruling party.

State Education minister Partha Chatterjee, who was present at the launch of ‘TMC Report Card-Ten Years of Development, said that the schemes floated by the Mamata Banerjee government in the last decade have benefited a huge section of people. He also said that party leaders would reach out to people in all 294 assembly constituencies of the state with the report card. Among others, state minister Firhad Hakim and MPs Derek O’Brien and Sudip Bandyopadhyay were also present at the TMC Bhavan during the event.

On the other hand, JP Nadda, the national president of the party trying to make inroads into Bengal polity, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is currently on a two-day visit to West Bengal where he aims at holding two rallies at the Diamond Harbour with the BJP leaders and members of the fishermen community. Nadda had earlier held an outreach program in Bhowanipore, South Kolkata on Wednesday, December 9. From the looks of it, BJP is hoping to turn the table in their favour during the 2021 assembly polls after gaining an impressive performance in the 2019 elections. Nadda’s rally faced the ire of the people, buoyed by TMC when it was pelted with stones with many of its cars damaged.