Kolkata: Trinamool Congress has devised several strategies to conquer North Bengal. To secure its existence, the party will have to put a stop to the BJP in 54 legislative seats in the region. However, in the last Lok Sabha election, Trinamool couldn't win a single seat to the north of the Bhagirathi river. Out of eight Lok Sabha seats, BJP won seven - including Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Rayganj, Balurghat, and Malda North, while the Congress managed to win Malda South.
Victory in the thirty seats in North Bengal is determined by over 20 lakhs workers in the tea plantations and their families. Mamata Banerjee is currently attempting to impress this population. She has already entered the field in Siliguri and Alipurduar. She also announced that the state government has allotted 500 crores to resolve the residential issue of the labourers; houses for 4000 people were sanctioned yesterday. The state government has also appointed a samiti to determine the minimum wages.
In regions with a significant refugee population, Mamata has announced beneficial policies to reap support. Distribution of title deeds has commenced in the colonies. The joining of Adivasi leader Rajesh Lakra into the Trinamool in December will benefit the party. Meanwhile, the BJP is striving to maintain its popularity in the region.
The 'rath yatra' to begin on February 11th from Alipuduar shall be inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP has planned to conduct five rath yatras across West Bengal in the run-up to the election. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, BJP had assured the refugee population citizenship under the new Citizenship Amendment Act. The BJP leadership also supported the idea of a home state for the Rajabongshis, an indigenous community in the region.
However, the support of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha will assuredly benefit the Trinamool in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Kurseong regions.