Battle for Bengal: Banerjee Duo Dominates “Mega Saturday” Campaign Trail
As the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections draws nearer, the politics of West Bengal had become quite exciting this weekend. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Mamata Banerjee and National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee held a number of loud rallies, ranging from Bhangar to Murshidabad.
In an attempt to reach out to people during the campaign, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the district of Murshidabad and spoke to the people of Shamsherganj and Jiaganj about the dangers posed by the flooding in the area and the “step-motherly treatment” being received by the central government.
“Bengal will not bow down to Delhi’s diktats,” she proclaimed, accusing the opposition of trying to strike names off voter lists. She positioned the TMC as the sole protector of Bengal’s secular fabric, specifically targeting the BJP and the newly aggressive entry of the AIMIM in the region.
At the same time, the spotlight fell on Bhangar, which became home to a huge crowd of supporters under the leadership of Abhishek Banerjee. This district has always been the center of fierce political competition and it becomes evident why the son of TMC leader chose to address supporters there. The tone of Abhishek’s speech is rather tech-friendly as he emphasized the “Diamond Harbour Model” of governing and discussed the popularity of various direct benefit transfer schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar. He called for an evidence-based debate on development, turning the meeting into another show of power and youthfulness.
The mood in these districts can be described as tense and charged as the first round of voting will take place next Monday, April 23. In particular, the TMC has managed to demonstrate impressive grassroots mobilization while the deployment of central forces that are conducting route marches is a clear hint at the volatile past of West Bengal’s elections. In this regard, it may be said that after today’s marathon campaign, Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee have successfully set the tone for the upcoming week of elections.
