Mamata to visit Birbhum and Malda

Recently, Banerjee held a ‘public service event’ at Sagar Dighi in Murshidabad district, and then attended a government service delivery programme — with a focus on three North Bengal districts of Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri — in Alipurduar district. She also handed over government services to some beneficiaries from these districts.

Her visit to Birbhum district assumes significance as it is taking place in the backdrop of the arrest of party district president and one of her most trusted lieutenant Anubrata Mondal in a cattle smuggling case in August last. Anubrata’s arrest has put the party on a weaker wicket in Birbhum district, said party sources.

A senior TMC leader said, “After Anubrata’s arrest, no replacement was made. In Birbhum, Rana Singha, Chandranath Sinha, Kajal Sheikh and Ashish Banerjee are there, but nobody has the potential to become the unquestionable leader of Birbhum. After the arrest of Mondol, BJP and CPI(M) are gradually increasing their organisational strength in several pockets of the district.”

“Banerjee will now have to find an alternative to Mondal who can provide leadership to the party in Birbhum. Otherwise, the party will have to face a stiff challenge in the panchayat polls,” he added.

However, state administration sources said during the chief minister’s tour, there would not be any political rally or meeting in Birbhum. But, TMC sources said Banerjee might sit with the party’s district leadership during her Birbhum visit.

In Malda, according to party sources, the TMC is on a sticky wicket owing to its weaker organisational strength as compared to other districts, so the party supremo’s visit ahead of the panchayat polls assumes

significance in terms of providing strength to the local leadership and giving momentum to the party’s campaigning in the district.