Bengal polls 2026: TMC rolls out 60-day SC/ST outreach

Kolkata, Mar 2 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress on Monday announced a 60-day mass outreach programme aimed at connecting with voters in 84 Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe-majority assembly constituencies across West Bengal, while accusing the BJP of depriving the state of funds and insulting marginalised communities.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee told party workers that the “Tapashilir Sanglap” campaign would begin on March 5 after the Holi festival in the run-up to the assembly elections.

During the two-month exercise, teams of TMC representatives will travel in specialised vehicles to reach villages and booths in the targeted constituencies.

Banerjee said the teams, comprising three to five members in each vehicle, would interact with people at the grassroots level and highlight the state government’s welfare initiatives while exposing what he described as the BJP’s “continuous oppression” of SC and ST communities.

“There is no room for self-satisfaction. We must fight with full strength in the last two months. The responsibility of these 84 Assembly seats lies on your shoulders,” Banerjee told party workers.

Addressing them, he launched a sharp attack on the BJP, alleging that the party had repeatedly disrespected marginalised communities.

Referring to the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, he claimed that members of the Matua community were prevented from entering the temple premises despite carrying holy water.

Banerjee also claimed that the BJP intends to amend the Constitution framed by B R Ambedkar to abolish reservations for SCs and STs, even when they were restricted to just 240 members.

The TMC leader also accused the Centre of imposing a “financial blockade” on West Bengal and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prove that the Union government had released funds for schemes such as the rural employment programme in the state over the past five years.

He claimed that while the Centre collected about Rs 7 lakh crore in taxes from the state, Bengal’s dues were diverted to other states such as Bihar and Gujarat.

“Show me if the Modi government has given even ten paise for 100 days of work to the 2 crore 64 lakh job card holders in Bengal. If they can prove it, I will leave politics,” he said.

Banerjee claimed that the state government under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had provided houses to 32 lakh beneficiaries using its own funds despite the alleged stoppage of central assistance.

He also attacked BJP leaders over alleged remarks on Bengalis’ food habits, asserting that people in the state would not allow “landlords from Delhi” to dictate what they eat or how they live.

Banerjee also took a swipe at the BJP’s “Rath Yatra”, calling the party leaders “cheats” and urging TMC workers to respond in their own way.

“When their Rath passes through your area, greet them with Bengal’s hospitality. Offer them fish and meat,” he said, in an apparent jibe at alleged remarks by some BJP leaders on people’s non-veg diet.

He also asked people to offer them sweets to remind them of what he called the BJP’s “anti-Bengal stand”. In another jibe, Banerjee said the Raths should be preserved so that during “Ulto Rath”(return car festival), the leaders could be sent back.

Banerjee urged party workers to ensure that the BJP’s seat tally in the state is reduced to zero and called for securing a fourth consecutive term for the TMC government with more than 250 seats.

“In the next two months, except for the time to eat and bathe, you must give your entire time for Bengal, for the party and for the state,” he said.

The elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly are likely to be held in April. PTI

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