West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to Kolkata cutting short her scheduled political programme in erstwhile Maoist-infested Bankura district due to sudden demise of the playback singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK.
Banerjee arrived at the public rally at Bankura at 10.45 a.m. and completed her speech within 20 minutes. The rally was scheduled on Wednesday at 12 noon.
Talking about the same, CM said, “I will take a flight to Kolkata from Andal Airport. If I am able to reach Kolkata in time, I will interact with KK’s family members who have already arrived there. I have spoken to KK’s wife. My ministers are there to oversee all the necessary arrangements. Gun salute by Kolkata Police personnel will also be arranged to pay respect to the deceased singer at the Kolkata airport only.”
Wednesday’s rally at Bankura was quite critical for the Chief Minister. Both the Lok Sabha constituencies in the district, namely Bankura and Bishnupur, have elected BJP Parliamentarians now. Even in the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections, Trinamool Congress conceded defeat in four assembly constituencies.
Chief Minister confided that people of the area went away from her party because of the wrongdoings by some of her partymen.
While addressing a similar public rally at another erstwhile Maoist-infested district of Purulia on Tuesday, the Chief Minister asserted that since the Central dues to Bengal is the greatest barrier in accelerating the pace of development projects in the state, there is a need for block level agitation, where common people will put pressure on the local BJP leaders to ensure the clearance of the Central dues.
Also understanding that the consecutive defeats have negatively impacted the morale of the grassroots level party workers in Bankura district, the Chief Minister said, “If after facing defeat I can come to Bankura again, why will you keep yourselves confined at home.”