Mamata kicks-off assembly poll campaign on Women's Day

Coinciding with International Women's Day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday officially kicked-off her Trinamool Congress' election campaign for the 2016 Assembly polls with a mammoth rally of its women leaders and supporters.

Banerjee, also the Trinamool supremo, asserted her party would emerge victorious in the polls beginning on April 4.

"Hathuri, haath aar poddo, manushe korbe jobdo (Hand, hammer and lotus, the people will control them)," said Banerjee, attacking the opposition parties with reference to their symbols, while raising slogans. She urged the electorate to vote for the 'joda phool' (the Trinamool's symbol).

Hand is the symbol of the Congress, the sickle-hammer-star that of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, while lotus is the symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Hundreds of Trinamool Mahila Congress members and supporters from all walks of life held aloft white and blue balloons, posters and flags splashing the party symbol and walked in unison with prominent women leaders of the party as Banerjee led the way from Shyambazar in north Kolkata to Esplanade in the city's centre, a 20 minute distance.

Preferring to keep her speech brief to prevent traffic snarls and avoid inconveniencing people, she exhorted her party workers to maintain calm during the election process.

"Thanda thanda cool cool, abar asche Trinamool (keep calm, Trinamool will be back)," she said.

On the way, she also offered floral tributes to Swami Vivekanada at the monk's ancestral home in north Kolkata's Beadon Street.