Mamata asks leaders to boost campaign on development work

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today asked Trinamool Congress party leaders to boost campaign on various development works undertaken by her government and not step into any kind of provocation by the opposition parties.
In her second district-level evaluation meeting with the leaders of Burdwan district, Banerjee underscored the need for highlighting the development works and not be provoked by opposition parties ahead of next year's Assembly poll in the state.
"Don't react to any provocation from the BJP and be careful about the CPI(M). Make sure that the CPI(M) doesn't gain popularity," the chief minister said to have advised the district leaders, a leader said pleading anonymity.

Apparently critical of the functioning of some leaders in the district, Banerjee even cautioned them to be sincere to their assignments and loyal to party guidelines, the leaders said.
The meeting also approved some sort of organisational restructuring in the district, after the CM reviewed the organisational strength of her party, to expedite party programmes.
In her first such meeting last Saturday with the leaders of West Midnapore district, Banerjee had asked the district leaders not to step into any kind of provocation of the 'Jatha' rallies carried out by the CPI(M).

"Rather highlight the issue of developmental work carried out by the TMC government in last 4.5 years in the once Maoist-infested Jangalmahal," she had said.

Alleging that in some places in the state, Congress,
CPI(M) and BJP have fought together, Banerjee said "TMC does not do this and does not indulge in such acts."
"I am not concerned with any such alliance, because ours is a grand alliance with the people who will judge us by the work we have done in the five years since 2011 and bring us back with more conviction," she said.
"I want to remind you that way back in 1997 I had said CPI(M) and Congress have a hidden understanding, we had formed Trinamool Congress in protest against this," Banerjee claimed.

"We had said we won't remain with this Congress, which has an understanding with CPI(M) giving up on its ideology and termed it watermelon, which is green outside and red within," the TMC chairperson, who had defeated the Left Front after its 34-year long rule, said.
She pooh-poohed the strength of Congress in some North Bengal districts, including its stronghold Murshidabad and Malda districts, saying results may prove to be different.
Banerjee claimed Congress had sabotaged her party in the 2001 elections by putting up independent candidates against TMC candidates, despite an alliance.
"We had a seat adjustment after that with NDA as Congress and CPI(M) were jointly attacking us," she said, attributing it to the statesmanship of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Asked about the promptness with which her party came out with a candidate list for all 294 Assembly seats within an hour of announcement of six-phase elections in the state by the Election Commission, Banerjee said "we are ready with almost everything.
"We will unveil our manifesto next Friday," she added.