As BJP Targets West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee Plots Strategy That Looks Beyond

Kolkata: A core committee meeting of the Trinamool Congress at party chief Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence in Kolkata on Saturday had an unexpected attendee. Former Transport Minister Madan Mitra, accused in the Saradha chit fund scam and out on bail for the last couple of months, made an appearance.

Apparently invited back to the party's fold for the first time, his appearance is an example of how the Trinamool Congress is consolidating its leadership to take on the juggernaut of the BJP as it celebrates the wins in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand elections last month.

"If BJP targets Bengal, we will also target all of India. That's a challenge, challenge, challenge," Mamata Banerjee had announced last week. At the meeting, she set the ball rolling.

The party, in the meeting headed by the Bengal Chief Minister, strategised how it plans to widen its reach beyond Bengal, to states where regional parties are weaker.

"We have a responsibility to stand by the people of other states," said Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee. Among states the party is eyeing are Odisha and Tripura.

Sources in Ms Banerjee's party said it also plans to counter BJP's "attempts to create communal tensions in the state". Former Congress leader Nirbed Roy, who joined Trinamool Congress, has been made in-charge of drawing up leaflets and booklets on the issue for distribution across the state.

"We are also examining how the BJP is sowing seeds of communalism across Bengal," Mr Chatterjee said.

The Trinamool leader also said his party is "totally against" the cut in the interest rate on PPF just announced by the centre.

"They are going on about chit funds. But they are making life very difficult, particularly for senior citizens who depend on these small savings for an income," Mr Chatterjee added.