Siliguri: Trinamul organised a huge rally in Siliguri on
Friday, a day after a key party leader joined the BJP at a public
meeting attended by Mukul Roy and state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh.
State tourism minister and Trinamul district president Gautam
Deb denied suggestions the rally was aimed at countering the BJP's push,
saying the ruling party's event had been pre-scheduled for Friday.
Political observers believe, however, that the frequent visits
of BJP leaders to north Bengal and Thursday's rally - Roy's first in
the area since he joined the BJP last month - has challenged Trinamul.
According to them, Trinamul will have to flex its muscles with
such rallies to reaffirm its support base in a region where the BJP is
trying to make inroads.
"The BJP's meeting in the heart of the city has given a fresh
challenge to Trinamul. Apart from other parties' leaders, a senior
Trinamul leader from Dabgram-Fulbari joined the BJP (on Thursday). The
area is in Jalpaiguri district," an observer said.
"Panchayat elections are to be held next year. Considering all
these facts, Trinamul's desperation to prove its support base is
obvious, which prompted them to organise the rally here (on Friday),"
the observer added.
However, Deb squashed speculation that his party's rally was
an effort to counter BJP leaders' frequent trips and Thursday's meeting
in Siliguri.
"The decision to hold a rally here was taken about a month
back. The rally was against divisive forces and to send a message for
unity. It has nothing to do with the BJP's political programme. To my
knowledge, they decided to organise the meeting here only a week ago.
Being a national party, they are free to conduct their political
programmes," Deb said, speaking before Friday's rally started at Bagha
Jatin Park.
Asked about Sikha Chatterjee, a former state committee member
of Trinamul and party's member of Rajganj Panchayat Samiti, joining the
BJP at the BJP rally, Deb said it was her "prerogative".
"I have not denied that she was with us from the very
beginning. If she had any issue with the party, she could have raised it
with the district leadership or a higher forum. Instead, she decided to
join BJP, which is absolutely her prerogative and I don't want to
comment on her decision. All I can say that Trinamul is a mass-based
party and it never depends on any individual," Deb said.
Bagha Jatin Park, where the Trinamul rally was held, was also
where the BJP leaders had gathered fortheir meeting on Thursday.
Trinamul sources said the district leaders held its core committee
meeting here on Thursday evening where Deb was also present.
During the meeting, he issued instructions to ensure massive
participation of party workers for the rally from different parts of the
city and its vicinity.
Trinamul is scheduled to hold its Panchayati Sammelan at Bidhannagar, around 35km from Siliguri, on January 4.
The Telegraph
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