In West Bengal poll climate, a TMC ‘reward’ season

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee during a visit to Namkhana. (PTI)

Listen to this article

In West Bengal poll climate, a TMC ‘reward’ season

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

As the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal gears up for the July 8 panchayat election in the state, it has “rewarded” a tribal woman, who was made to crawl as “penance” for joining the BJP, with a gram panchayat nomination; and an MLA, accused of fomenting violence, with Z-security cover.

Shiuli Mandi was one of the four tribal women seen in a viral video clip crawling in Dakshin Dinajpur district in April this year. After the 27-second video led to a backlash, the TMC removed its woman district unit president Pradipta Chakraborty.

On Sunday, Shiuli Mandi said she was happy to be fielded by the party. “I am happy that my party has made me a candidate for a gram panchayat seat. The tribal community is with our party and we will get their support in the panchayat elections,” Mandi said.

Also in Political Pulse | Bengal Governor draws TMC fire as he turns heat on Mamata govt over rural poll violence

The TMC has fielded her for the gram panchayat election in the Tapan area of the district.

Sources in the TMC said the move was aimed at winning the support of the tribal community which had severely criticised the ruling party for “forcing” the four tribal women to perform “dandavat parikrama”.

While the BJP alleged that TMC forced the women to do the “parikrama”, the ruling party and one of the women claimed that they did it on their own.

Reacting to the latest development, BJP general secretary of Dakshin Dinajpur district Bapi Sarkar said, “This is nothing but an attempt to show the people that they care for the tribal community. In reality, the TMC shows no respect to the people here. By making this move, they are trying to seek forgiveness from the people for forcing them to perform such an act.”

Don't miss | West Bengal State Election Commission data: BJP, CPI(M) filed twice as many nominations than they did in 2018

Countering the BJP’s allegations, TMC’s Dakshin Dinajpur district unit vice-president Subhas Chaki said, “The BJP had misled these women and inducted them. They later realised their mistake and returned to our party. They had apologised for defecting to the BJP. But they are now very much with us, and the party has rewarded them.”

Meanwhile, the Mamata Banerjee government has given Z-category security to Trinamool Congress MLA Saokat Mollah, days after violence rocked Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district during the filing of nominations in which two persons were killed.

Incidentally, Mollah, who represents the Canning Assembly seat, has been accused by the Opposition parties of fomenting trouble in the area.

“I am thankful for my party. There must have been some intelligence inputs due to which my security has been increased,” said Mollah on Sunday as he blamed Opposition for the violence.

Moreover, Mollah and Bidhannagar Municipality Chairman Sabyasachi Dutta were given the responsibility of TMC observers of Bhangar during a high-level party meeting on Saturday.