To garner votes from the tea belt in north Bengal, the Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari today promised an alternative proposal to chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s special scheme for distribution of patta (deed of land rights) among tea workers.

Addressing Vijay Sankalpo Sabha at Malbazar on behalf of the BJP candidate Dr Jayanta Roy from Jalpaiguri seat, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said, “There is no need to depend on Mamata Banerjee’s patta. When BJP will come to power our government will provide ownership of land to you. There is no question of patta-fatta.”

Mr Adhikari also ensured, paying no heed to model code of conduct that a permanent tea plantation worker will get Rs 350 a day when the BJP comes to power in Bengal.

“Keeping an eye on Lok Sabha polls Mamata Banerjee has started distributing patta among tea workers. What did she do five years ago in response to tea workers’ long standing demand for land rights? The fund of Rs 1.20 lakh, meant for the construction of a house for a patta holder that has been released by the state through district magistrates, was diverted from Labour Welfare Board’s fund. The central government has allocated Rs 250cr to the Labour Welfare Board,” Mr Adhikari claimed.

Notably, Trinamul Congress leadership has made a strong base in tea belt by increasing the daily rated wages from Rs 67 to Rs 250 coming to power in last 12 years and it has distributed patta among hundreds of tea workers in north Bengal.

“If Assam government can manage planters and ask them to pay wages of Rs 350 a day, we will be able to do it,” Mr Adhikari said, adding, “Trinamul Congress-led state government has not yet taken any legal steps against the owners, who are defaulters of provident fund for tea workers. Reason is tea garden owners have contributed a lot to TMC’s party fund.”

Suvendu today said: “When we will be coming to power Lakshmir Bhandar will be renamed as Annapurna Bhandar and beneficiaries will be getting Rs 3,000 each.”

Notably, several Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha supporters today joined the BJP’s rally at Malbazar. A group of Congress leaders today joined the BJP.

Mr Adhikari has also campaigned for Jalpaiguri candidate Dr Roy at Rajganj Assembly segment, a strong base of Trinamul Congress.

Mr Adhikari said, “When Mamata Banerjee will address her political rally in Dinhata, I will take on her from Natabari in Cooch Behar on 12 April.”

Echoing Union Home Minister Amit Shah, LoP Mr Adhikari has encouraged the BJP supporters to observe Ram Navami on 17 April, just two day before the first phase election, celebrating the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya as well as the first birth anniversary of Ram Lala.