West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will start campaigning for the upcoming Assembly elections from North Bengal on March 24 (Tuesday) while her nephew and party’s second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee will start with election rallies in southern districts, it is learnt.
The move is aimed at simultaneously connecting with voters in the state’s two different political battlegrounds.
On March 24, the CM will hold a mega rally at Alipurduar Parade Ground before addressing meetings at Matigara in Darjeeling district and Maynaguri in Jalpaiguri the same day.
The move is being seen as an attempt by the TMC leadership to wrest back political ground in the northern belt, where the BJP had made deep inroads in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and retained a strong presence through the 2021 Assembly elections.
“The CM herself leading the charge from Alipurduar sends a message that the party is taking the BJP’s challenge in north Bengal seriously,” a senior TMC leader said.
The CM will leave for north Bengal after addressing a workers’ conference in her own constituency, Bhabanipur, on Sunday evening, where she is likely to outline the party’s booth-level strategy for the upcoming polls, it is learnt.
State TMC president Subrata Bakshi, Cabinet minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, South Kolkata district president Debasish Kumar and councillors from the area will attend the meeting at Chetla of the Bhabanipur segment.
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The mobilisation assumes significance as Bhabanipur, traditionally considered Mamata’s political backyard, has emerged as a closely watched constituency after the BJP fielded Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari against her.
Party insiders said the leadership is keen to ensure there is “no room for complacency” despite Bhabanipur’s reputation as a TMC stronghold.
Moreover, the stakes went up after the Election Commission’s revision of electoral rolls in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which reportedly led to the deletion of around 47,000 names from the constituency’s voter list.
Abhishek, the party’s national general secretary, will kick off his campaign from Patharpratima in South 24 Parganas on the same day.
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From there, Abhishek is expected to hold public meetings in the Medinipur belt, addressing rallies in Daspur, Keshiary and Narayangarh on March 25 before holding a workers’ meeting in Nandigram.
The Nandigram visit carries symbolic and political significance as the constituency had emerged as the epicentre of the 2021 Assembly election when Mamata was defeated by Adhikari in a high-voltage contest.
This time, the TMC has fielded Pabitra Kar, a former associate of Adhikari who recently switched sides and joined the ruling party, setting the stage for another closely watched contest. Political analysts believe Abhishek’s early focus on the Medinipur region reflects the party’s effort to blunt the BJP’s organisational strength in the Jangalmahal and coastal belts.
‘Courtesy visit, no agenda’: CM after meeting Governor
Meanwhile, CM Banerjee on Saturday paid a courtesy visit to newly inaugurated Governor R N Ravi at the Lok Bhavan in Kolkata.
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Banerjee, while entering the Lok Bhavan, told reporters that she was invited for tea by the governor on the day he took oath of office on March 12. After the meeting, she said, “It was a courtesy meeting with no agenda.”
The CM had earlier questioned the sudden resignation of previous Governor C V Ananda Bose and the appointment of Ravi to the post.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
