To boost outreach, TMC banks on women workers, welfare schemes

The “leader” he was referring to was TMC’s women wing president and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Chandrima Bhattacharya who was to campaign in Subsit and Bainan panchayats later in the day. In a bid to reach out to the maximum number of voters, the state’s ruling party had traditional drummers and women dressed in colourful sarees for the campaign. With a population of 18,000, Subsit panchayat has been a TMC stronghold since 2013 and has candidates in the fray from all 21 seats.

Of the 21 TMC candidates, 10 are women.

Pointing to a banner of Left Front candidates put up near the party office, Patra said, “There is no violence here as the nomination process was held peacefully. We don’t want to win elections by intimidating the Opposition candidates.
We want to win by getting people’s support.”

From allegations of corruption to instigating violence during the nomination process, the TMC has been under pressure from all quarters. The Opposition parties have been campaigning against the TMC alleging that it unleashed a reign of terror in the state to intimidate the voters and also indulged in rampant corruption by looting people’s money.

Moloykanti Shaw (42), another TMC panchayat candidate, explains how they were countering the Opposition’s charges.
“People benefited a lot from several social welfare schemes of the state government. Schemes from Kanyashree, Rupashree to Lakhsmir Bhandar and Swasthya Sathi have immensely changed people’s lives. But the Centre stopped funds to the state under the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). That’s why some people did not get their payments. We are trying to make them understand that it is not our government’s fault that their
payments are pending,” said Shaw who runs a small business.

As the day progressed, minister Chandrima Bhattacharya took part in a padyatra and held a meeting with party candidates and workers besides addressing a public meeting.

“Use social media to highlight our social welfare schemes and counter the allegations made by the Opposition. Our women workers are our strength and they need to play an important role in our outreach programme,” Bhattacharya told party workers during a meeting at Bainan with TMC’s Amta MLA Sukanta Paul by her side.

Some of her party functionaries were of the opinion that women workers are more effective in poll campaigning for the party than their male counterparts who at times are subjected to jibes and taunts during door-to-door campaigning.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Bhattacharya said the party was receiving a massive response from people and it was quite evident. “People in rural areas know very well that our government has ushered in development by starting so many welfare schemes. Every household has reaped benefits from these schemes. We don’t need to seek votes as people want us to be elected so that the development continues in the state,” she said.

About the incidents of violence in the run-up to July 8, the minister said, “The election will be held in over 60,000 seats. Violence has not taken place even in 60 seats. We don’t want such incidents to take place but the Opposition is trying to mislead people. We are focused on our campaigning and are 100 per cent sure that our candidates will win.” During the padyatra, local residents lined up on the streets to greet the minister. Some even went up on the terrace to get a better view of the procession.