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Journalism of Courage
Months after facing a setback in the Lok Sabha elections, the Mamata Banerjee government Monday launched a massive public outreach programme in a bid to counter the BJP in West Bengal. Titled Didi Ke Bolo — Tell Your Sister — the programme will let people register their complaints and make suggestions to the government through a toll-free helpline number and a website. Banerjee is often called Didi, or elder sister, by her supporters.
Prashant has been attending closed-door meetings and looking at grassroots data to work out a strategy to woo the masses, especially the youth. In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the BJP made huge gains in West Bengal, wresting 18 seats and getting 40 per cent vote share, while the TMC got 22 seats and 43 per cent vote share. In 2014, TMC had won 34 seats and cornered 39.05 per cent vote share; BJP got two seats and 16.8 per cent vote share.
The Trinamool Congress is also reeling under the damage that the issue of ‘cut money’ has caused to its image. Fanned by the BJP, the controversy continues to rage in the rural areas.
At the launch of the programme, at Nazrul Manch in Kolkata, Banerjee said: “We, the Trinamool Congress, have decided to start a new initiative to reach out to the people directly and hear what they have to say.” According to party insiders, the idea is to give the impression that Banerjee is willing to listen to people, their problems and their suggestions — in person.
While the helpline number and website are aimed at wooing the youth, sending senior leaders, MPs and MLAs to villages is expected to boost the confidence of grassroots workers in different districts who have their backs to the wall following the ‘cut money’ issue.
Explained: Four pillars of Mamata Banerjee’s grassroots strategy against BJP
On why the programme is in Bengali, the Chief Minister said, “It is the language people speak in the state. When we go to other states we will use their local language.”
Interestingly, since the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls, the Trinamool Congress has increased its stress on preserving ‘Bengali culture’ to counter the BJP. After the Lok Sabha elections, the party has tried to build a fresh narrative of ‘Bengaliness’ in its working. Following the vandalism of the bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in Kolkata, the state government erected busts of not only Vidyasagar but also Bengali stalwarts and icons throughout the state.
During the Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21, Banerjee had made it clear that she wants rejuvenation of booth-level organisation and asked her party leaders to reach out to the people.
Significantly, the BJP has been working to spread its base in the state with its own booth-level formula of ‘Panna Pramukh-Shakti Kendra Mandal’ since 2014. BJP’s inroads into West Bengal is attributed much to the role played by its booth-management machinery.
