West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (Express photo) West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (Express photo) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced that the Trinamool Congress has decided to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in four states, aside from West Bengal — Assam, Jharkhand, Tripura and Odisha. The move is seen as part of Mamata’s decision to play a bigger role on the national stage. In the same vein, she also said that most non-BJP parties have agreed to attend the TMC’s Opposition mega rally on January 19 which, according to her, would be a “turning point in the country”. “We will contest elections in Assam, Tripura, Odisha, and Jharkhand. Several people from Jharkhand have contacted us. Despite such large mineral deposits, there is no development in Jharkhand. Only TMC can usher in development there,” said Mamata. She also instructed TMC leaders to strengthen the party organisation in these states, as well as in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Andaman. “We don’t want to contest polls from Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and other states where we have our party organisation because there will be a one-on-one contest between the ruling party and the Opposition. But we will strengthen our organisation there,” she said. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress supremo asked her party leaders and workers to hold booth-level meetings and create graffiti to campaign for the January 19 brigade rally. The rally has been organised to strengthen the proposed federal front ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. “All parties barring a few have confirmed their participation. This will be a turning point in the country and we will bell the cat. Block-level presidents should hold booth-level meetings right away in the run-up to the rally. There should be at least 30 graffiti at each booth level. Do not use my photographs for campaigning. I do not like this. The party will prepare one poster for the Brigade rally; it will be shared with all,” she said. The chief minister also asked her party leaders to win all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. During the meeting, she also formed various committees comprising Abhishek Banerjee, Subrata Bakshi, Partha Chatterjee, Derek O’Brien, Suvendu Adhikari and others for the elections. Mamata cautioned her party workers to beware of EVM tampering. “Be alert when EVMs are being tested. If necessary, get them checked three times. If the party sends two people, two more should go just to cross-check. BJP will tamper with 40 per cent of EVMs. In the Maheshtala bypoll (in South 24 Parganas), 60 EVMs had malfunctioned. Take care of the voters’ list revision. Six lakh voters are added to the rolls every year. We must reach out to them,” she said. She also asked her nephew and TMC Youth Congress president Abhishek Banerjee to start an online donation portal. “We do not have funds worth crores like the BJP. We do not compromise in lieu of money. We do not need cut-money from the government to run our party. Will we resort to dacoity to fight elections? If we sell CDs of songs or sell paintings, they call us thieves. I would request Trinamool Youth Congress to develop an app for online donation. It will go live on January 1, the foundation day of the party. People can pay any amount as per their capacity,” she said. The chief minister lashed out at the CPM for helping the BJP in the state. “The CPM talks against the BJP elsewhere but has an understanding with them here. We have seen in the panchayat polls, Ram and Bam (Left) are one. They have given up their ideology. They are practising politics of compromise, bereft of principles. CPM has sold itself to the BJP. They have become a signboard,” she said. For all the latest Kolkata News, download Indian Express App

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