Ahead of panchayat polls in West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is making efforts to change the narrative especially after federal agencies seized crores of cash allegedly linked to party leaders last year.
The TMC has come up with a new strategy to counter the opposition that has alleged that even lower-level TMC workers live in big bungalows and enjoy a lavish lifestyle.
TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday introduced three people, who belong to financially weaker sections, during his programme in West Medinipur’s Keshpur village and said they are the “faces of the TMC” now.
Abhijit Dalobera and his wife Manju Dalobera, a member of the Golar panchayat, and Hossain Uddin, a party supporter, were called to the stage.
Banerjee also narrated how they had refused to accept money under the Banglar Awas Yojana (PM Awas Yojana) despite their names being on the list of beneficiaries.
To strengthen his claim, the Member of Parliament from West’s Bengal Diamond Harbour also showed pictures of places where they live in small mud-thatched houses during the event.
“They are the faces of TMC now, people who will bow down their heads in front of people, work for them and will love this type of lifestyle. They will be the face of TMC,” he said.
Though the dates for the elections are yet to be announced, some heavyweight local TMC leaders have started claiming that they will give tickets. Even some are projecting themselves as official party candidates.
TMC insiders say this projection by Abhishek Banerjee clearly nullifies the “dadagiri” of these leaders in distributing tickets.
“Party local president or block president, nobody can give a ticket. Only Mamata Banerjee will give tickets and what leaders are doing, everything is monitored. You will behave badly somewhere and think nobody will know that’s not possible. I am guarding the party and will see that,” the TMC leader said.
In a way, the message was clear that the party will field candidates who do not have corruption baggage and live a simple life. On the other hand, party insiders say the party will project that the TMC is a party like Mamata Banerjee who stays in a small house despite being a chief minister. They said the allegations that TMC leaders live a lavish lifestyle is a “bad campaign” by the opposition.
The TMC general secretary is making frequent trips to West and East Medinipur districts. TMC insiders say that the influence of Suvendu Adhikari, who represents the Nandigram seat in East Medinipur, has now reduced drastically after Banerjee‘s focus in the region.
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