Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to make a whistlestop visit to take stock of the situation at blast-hit Khadikul village in Egra, East Midnapore and Salboni, West Midnapore respectively, on Saturday. She would also attend a rally as part of a party’s Naba Jowar Yatra to be jointly addressed by her and Trinamul’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, informed a source close to the chief minister at Nabanna today.
The visit to Egra is to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of the blast, where 11 lives were lost and many sustained injuries.
Miss Banerjee’s proposed visit at Egra on Saturday, claimed by political observers, also assumes political significance. She has already declared an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2.50 lakh to the next of kin of those deceased and Rs 1 lakh to those who sustained injuries.
This visit, just after nine days of the blast, said political analyst, would give her an opportunity to find out the truth at ground zero and would also offer her an opportunity to help placate an otherwise frayed tempers arising out of any lack of job opportunities there.
At Salboni, West Midnapore, she would join Abhishek Banerjee, who would be leading a Naba Jowar Yatra and is likely to address a rally at the tribal belt. She would likely return on the same day.