Abhishek Banerjee arrived at Coochbehar, the starting point of the yatra, on Monday.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee today kicked off a two-month-long Jono Sanjog Yatra across West Bengal as campaigning for the upcoming rural polls in the state heats up.
The yatra is part of TMC's Trinamool Ey Nabajowar (new wave in Trinamool) campaign and will continue for 60 days during which Mr Banerjee will travel around 3,500 km in a caravan and hold more than 250 rallies across the state.
Explaining the motive behind the yatra, TMC said the outreach programme is being carried out to strengthen the party's resolve to remain connected with the masses.
Mr Banerjee arrived at Coochbehar, the starting point of the yatra, on National Panchayati Raj Day on Monday. After covering all districts in West Bengal, the yatra will come to an end at Kakdwip, a southern district.
The yatra will be conducted on a bus. Every night, the party will hold district-level sessions, allowing people to share their views and voice their concerns on panchayat election candidates through referendums.
This evening, Mr Banerjee will hold the first convention called Gram Banglar Motamot (opinion of rural Bengal), where locals will share their choice of TMC candidates for the upcoming panchayat polls through secret ballots.
After offering prayers at Madan Mohan Temple in Coochbehar on Monday, Mr Banerjee met locals to enquire about their homes and assured them of help regarding land pattas.
"If Centre doesn't clear our dues, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will get the houses done," Mr Banerjee said while interacting with local people as he commenced the Jono Sanjog Yatra.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated her nephew and two-term MP in a tweet.
"Trinamool Nabo Jowar is a first-of-its-kind political campaign, and I want to heartily congratulate @abhishekaitc & all the party workers for embarking upon Jono Sanjog Yatra, which will traverse across the state," she said.
"We aim to usher in a new wave of progress and development at the grassroots, for which we humbly seek the blessings of the people of Bengal to succeed in this endeavour," the Chief Minister added.
In response, Mr Banerjee said, "Thank you Didi! We are resolute in our determination to ensure that your welfare initiatives reach all households regardless of their caste, creed, religion, or political association. West Bengal has and will continue to serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for others to emulate."
Meanwhile, the opposition BJP took a shot at the TMC over the yatra. Former state BJP President and Kharagpur MP Dilip Ghosh said, "This is a new TMC because maybe Mamata Banerjee's TMC is no more."
"Maybe her people are not around. I heard one tent cost Rs 25,000 rupees a day. Maybe this is the attempt by the TMC to become a national party again. Maybe this is new politics. We (BJP) understand a different kind of politics. I don't know whom he will connect with. Maybe he has gone to enquire about leaders who have been called by the CBI. Maybe he wants to find out how many people are left in the party," he added.