Putting all speculation to rest, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to contest from Bhowanipore Assembly constituency. This was announced by Trinamul Congress state chairperson Subrata Bakshi at a party workers’ convention in her constituency on Saturday afternoon. The venue was Maharashtra Niwas. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP candidate took a lead from Bhowanipore Assembly segment, which had upset Ms Banerjee. In 2015 Kolkata Municipal Corporation, TMC improved its position and won 10 of the 11 wards that fell in Bowanipore Assembly constituency. However, some wards caused concern. Sources said, considering these ground realities, two senior TMC leaders suggested to Ms Banerjee to change her Assembly seat. “But Didi rejected their advice which she considered childish. She told them that changing seat will be a political harakari. Such a decision will demoralise party supporters and send a wrong message to the people of the state,” a party insider said.
On Saturday, Ms Banerjee laid down an elaborate guideline for party workers of Bhowanipore constituency. She repeatedly told them to keep their cool and not get provoked by the slander that the Opposition parties would spread against her. “Their (Opposition’s) brains are breeding grounds for poison of slander and canard. They will light fire; we will extinguish it. They will create unrest; we will usher in peace; they will display intolerance; we will demonstrate tolerance,” she said.
She advised them against putting up her larger-than-life hoarding and cutouts. “Carry small placards when you campaign. The people should not get the impression that you have become arrogant. Be gentle. Don’t fight with our opponents over wall writing,” she said.
Dismissing the Congress-Left alliance as “unethical”, Ms Banerjee said it was being popped up by a section of the media. In a bid to keep the morale of the workers high, she said that TMC would return to power with greater strength. She claimed that its alliance with the Congress had cost TMC many seats in 2011. “The Congress won due to its alliance with TMC but it joined hands with CPI(M),” she said.
This kind of unethical understanding between the two parties had led to the formation of Trinamul Congress. We have conveyed this historical truth to the people,” she added.
Ms Banerjee identified the CPI(M)-Congress combine as her main opponent in Bhowanipore. However, she also wanted to warn the voters of the perils of BJP’s communal politics.
Ms Banerjee emphasised the need to stregthen the party’s organisation in several wards. Although she directed all leaders and workers to work hard in all wards, she asked urban development minister Firhad Hakim to concentrate on wards 70, 74, 77, 80 and 82. Mr Bakshi and her MP nephew Abhishek Banerjee were asked to take care of ward 63.
