All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee today said he would stop the ‘Jana Sanyog Yatra’ and quit politics if the BJP can say that it has organised a review meeting in Cooch Behar district in the last nine years.

Addressing a public meeting at Ghugumari in Cooch Bbehar (Dakshin), Mr Banerjee came down heavily on BJP MP Nisith Pramanik and said: “As the union minister of two departments, what has he done to protect people of Cooch Behar against BSF’s atrocities on Rajbanshi and minority people?”

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“You have elected a BJP candidate in the Lok Sabha in 2019. The BJP under the leadership of Narendra Modi is in power over the last nine years. Has the BJP organised a review meeting in Cooch Behar like us in the nine years? If the BJP can prove it, I will stop this Jana Sanyog Yatra, I will quit politics and will never come to beg for votes,” Mr Banerjee said.

Notably, Mr Banerjee has started the ‘Jana Sanyog Yatra’ from Cooch Behar yesterday. The AITC leader today covered several villages and interacted with locals to know about their basic needs. He also held three public meetings at three separate places, including Tufanganj, interacted with Padma Shri Dr Dharma Narayan Barma at Haripur and finally attended another interactive session at the SA Ground in Tufanganj.

Mr Banerjee, who is also an MP from Diamond Harbour, said he would stage a sit-in demonstration in Delhi, after the end of the two-month ‘Jana Sanyog Yatra’ across the state, if the central government failed to disburse central funds for various schemes, including the 100-days job. “A total of 2.65 crore people are enrolled in the 100-day job scheme (NREGA) in West Bengal. Of them, if at least one crore people write to the prime minister on this issue, I will stage a sit-in, demanding the legitimate central funds,” he said.

Notably, keeping an eye on the forthcoming panchayat elections, Mr Banerjee has started reaching out to the people, terming his initiative as the ‘Nabajoar of Trinamool Congress.’ The AITC leader has also introduced a new system of selection of candidates for the three-tier panchayat polls by the people through secret ballots at every public meeting he holds.

Addressing the public meeting today, the AITC General Secretary said: “People will select and elect their panchayat members, who will work for the people, irrespective of political colour, to constitute a corruption-free and progressive civic body for five years.”

Since a section of AITC workers created trouble and allegedly looted polled ballot papers during polling for selection of candidates in Cooch Behar yesterday, Mr Banerjee today requested them to maintain discipline during the polling. Following his instructions, re-polling was conducted there today.

Mr Banerjee also warned a section of AITC leaders and workers who had been creating such trouble during the polling.

“The previous system of selection of candidates for rural polls by local leaders will not be accepted. I know some people will face problems due to the present system. If anyone brings in some people to obtain extra 20 votes than others, they are living in fool’s paradise,” Mr Banerjee claimed