Reach out to all, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says in 2024 run-up – Times of India

KOLKATA: With eyes firmly set on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, CM Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday urged Trinamool Congress workers to shun complacency and reach out to every home in Bengal and make them a (party) fortress.
Asking party leaders to use bicycles and scooters to reach out to every locality, she cautioned them against eating at people’s expense.
The CM read out the riot act to party leaders for openly canvassing for rebels who fought – and won – against official candidates, asking the party disciplinary committee to act against seven such leaders, adding two had already been alerted. Such leaders, she said, would be first alerterd, next issued show cause, and then suspended.
“The door is always open (should anyone want to leave),” she said. “You believe you had a chance. When the party gets one, your names will be struck out (from candidate lists).”
Banerjee also rejigged the party district leadership by replacing five office-bearers in North Kolkata, Krishnanagar, Tamluk, Bongaon and Cooch Behar. Sudip Bandyopadhyay will take charge of the North Kolkata district.
She also reconstituted the party disciplinary committee by bringing in Bandyopadhyay and Chandrima Bhattacharya, in addition to existing members – Subrata Bakshi, Partha Chatterjee, Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas and Abhishek Banerjee.
Her faith in the existing team that led the 2021 assembly poll campaign was evident in Bakshi continuing to be the state party president and Chatterjee the party secretary general.
Trinamool’s youth and students’ units, which were largely led by Abhishek before his elevation as national general secretary, remained unchanged. Banerjee expanded the party state vice-president, general secretary and secretary portfolios to include leaders in a reflection of the party’s growth in Bengal.
Saying panchayat polls too would be held (soon), the CM said: “Stand by people and they will vote for you. Who gets 5 votes more or 10 votes less is immaterial?”
She continued: “None was stopped from fighting (civic polls); none was stopped from voting. I do not want anyone to be stopped from casting their vote. There is a pattern to the 7-8 places where trouble took place (during civic polls).”
Spelling out a massive outreach programme, Banerjee said party leaders would have to reach every locality – at their own expense – from May 5 to July 21. The outreach would be held three times a year; the second and third phases would be announced later. “In 2024, Bengal will show the path,” she said.
On BJP disrupting the assembly session, Banerjee said: “They hatched a conspiracy to tarnish the session. My women (MLA) brigade fought back. They were subjected to insults, but they stood their ground… We chose not to go the Telangana way, and prorogued the assembly.”