All India Trinamul Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee started Nabajoar Yatra, a two-month journey to reach out to the people, from Cooch Behar district today. After staying in a makeshift tent in Cooch Behar last night, Mr Banerjee, an MP from Diamond Harbour, started his journey on foot and interacted with the local people and listened to them about their basic needs, before reaching a local Kali Temple to offer prayers.
During interaction with the people, Mr Banerjee told an elderly man: “Hopefully, you know the Centre has intentionally stopped funds since the BJP has failed to come to power, and schemes were named after Bengal.
In such schemes, the central government provides 60 percent funds and the state contributes 40 percent. We are still waiting for those funds after sending several reminders to the Centre. If the Centre does not provide the funds, the state government under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee will implement those pending schemes.”
During the interaction, the people informed him of their needs, mainly houses, good roads and safe drinking water in villages. Addressing a public rally there, Mr Banerjee appealed to the people to cast votes keeping in mind their rights, and form their own three-tier panchayat bodies.
Mr Banerjee also assured that villagers would nominate their candidates and asked them to cast their vote for suitable candidates in a secret ballot today. He also provided his mobile number to the people so that they can inform him of the candidates directly, while further informing them that local leaders would not finalize any names of the candidates for the rural polls.
The Trinamul Congress General Secretary also assured that the rural elections would be free, fair and peaceful. Highlighting the necessity to keep control of the panchayat bodies for overall development, Mr Banerjee pointed out how CM Mamata Banerjee would serve them, and how her government would remain in power till May 2026. He also told them that her party would come to power for the fourth time again.
Urging the selected local AITC leaders and party activists to cast votes in the secret ballot, Mr Banerjee left for Sitai in Cooch Behar to carry forward the Nabajoar Yatra as part of the Jano Sayog Yatra.
Mr Banerjee, after interacting with the people and addressing the public in Sitai, left for Sahibganj, before asking the people to select their candidates by casting votes in the secret ballot.
However, as Mr Banerjee left Sitai, the audience started casting votes, but the entire system of collection of the ballot papers collapsed following abnormal demand for the papers. Sources said that a section of the people, along with some Trinamul Congress workers, having failed to cast votes, allegedly broke the ballot boxes open and destroyed the ballot papers where many had cast their votes.
On receiving such information, Mr Banerjee said: “I have come to know that a group of people ‘enthusiastically’ almost broke the ballot box. I have started the Nabajoar for this reason. The MLA from Sitai and the district secretary will conduct polling at the same venue from 10 am to 5 pm.
I will see it tomorrow. If someone thinks of nominating their names after breaking the ballot box, they are living in a fool’s paradise, because the name of the Paharadar is Abhishek Banerjee.” Mr Banerjee is scheduled to resume his journey from Mathabhanga tomorrow and cover other areas in North Bengal.