For Jharkhand,Trinamool poll planks include anti-Naxal ops

While Union Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy began his tour of the state on Sunday,other leaders like Union minister of state for health and family welfare Dinesh Trivedi and Union minister of state for rural development Sisir Adhikary would join the campaign shortly. Banerjee too is expected to visit the state. “We have asked Banerjee to campaign for our candidates in Jharkhand. People here want to see her speak. We expect her here in the coming days,” said Mahato.

Interestingly,Trinamool Congress had in 2005 fielded 15 candidates in the state. No one,however,won. “We may not be very visible in Jharkhand,but people here are with us. We will definitely make a mark in these elections. We have fielded candidates in 30 out of the 81 seats. Our main poll plank is that we are against anti-Naxal joint operations. In the name of joint operations,atrocities are being committed. We are also highlighting the issue of forcible land acquistion in the state,” said Shatiram Mahato,Trinamool Congress leader from Purulia,who is in charge of Jharkhand elections. In Bengal too,Banerjee has always claimed that she was opposed to operations by state-Central forces in Maoist-affected areas.

“We also propose to give a stable and corruption-free government. Instability and corruption are plaguing the state since its birth,” added Mahato.