Centre's deprivation of Bengal to be Trinamool's key campaign plank: Abhishek Banerjee

Setting the tone for his party’s aggressive drive to win the hearts of the voters in West Bengal ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Trinamool Congress national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee made it clear on Friday that pending Central dues to the state government will be the key campaign plank of the party in the run-up to the elections.

During a virtual meeting with all the Trinamool MPs and MLAs as well as the top leadership of the party, Banerjee said that from February 18 to 25, the party will organise mass outreach camps in different parts of the state to make the people aware of how the Union government is allegedly depriving the common people of their legitimate dues because of political vendetta.

The camps will be organised from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

According to the leaders attending the meeting, Banerjee insisted that often people do not have a clear idea about the formalities involved with the Central funds under the Centrally-sponsored schemes such as the 100-day job scheme under MGNREGA.

“Often people are not aware whether it is the Union government or the state government which is supposed to bear the expenses of such Centrally-sponsored schemes. So Abhishek Banerjee has instructed us to organise mass outreach camps to update the common people about the true picture behind the payments under different schemes,” said a party leader who was present at the meeting.

He said Banerjee also directed the party leadership to conduct mass meetings throughout the state on March 1 and March 2, with special focus on the 100-day job scheme.

'Zamindari Hatao, Bangla Bachao' will be the principal slogan of the Trinamool Congress for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, as reportedly directed by Banerjee.