Ahead of the civic body elections, a proposed march to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) on 17 August could be a test of strength for the CPIM. The proposed march will be the first significant programme for the Left camp in Siliguri after facing a rout in the Assembly elections earlier this year.
The Darjeeling district Left Front has called the march to press for its demand for immediate elections to the civic body. The party also plans to highlight the alleged narrow politics of the Trinamul Congress-led board of administrators (BoA) of the corporation when it came to the Covid-19 vaccination process.
The rally is scheduled to originate at the district party headquarters of Anil Biswas Bhawan on Hill Cart Road at 2 pm. “A review of the election debacle in Bengal and organisational weaknesses has been conducted in the CPI-M state committee meeting. For the first time since 1946, the CPIM failed to win a single Assembly seat in the state.
Former MLA Asok Bhattacharya finished third by barely managing 28835 votes (16.33 per cent) in Siliguri. More than three months after the election results, the Left did not organise any significant political programme in Siliguri. Though the dates for the civic body polls are yet to be announced, the parties have started making preparations and it will also be considered as a campaign. Since it will be an important political programme for the CPI-M, it will naturally also be its test of strength,” said a political analyst.
Former mayor Mr Bhattacharya, who will take part in the programme, said the people will spontaneously support the rally. According to the district Left Front convener, Jibesh Sarkar, they were taking up several political programmes in wards and boroughs in Siliguri. “We will organise the march by following the Covid-19 protocol,” he said.
The Trinamul Congress, on the other hand, mocked the proposed rally. “Such a march will keep Left activists fit and healthy,” said the Darjeeling district (Plains) TMC president and a member of the SMC BoA, Ranjan Sarkar