Admitting that a few local leaders of the party may be “greedy”, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Sunday urged people not to turn their anger against them into voting against the TMC, claiming that its central leadership is above such vices.
The West Bengal Chief Minister said her government has showered the impoverished Jangalmahal area, which had once become a den of Maoists, with many benefits and schemes to lift their standard of life.
The Jangalmahal area comprises forested areas of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts.
“I cannot say 100% workers of my party are good, may be 2% are bad and we take action against them,” Ms. Banerjee said addressing public rallies in three places of Jangalmahal region.
She said a few local leaders in the region have become greedy but they have been identified and thrown out.
Ms. Banerjee urged people not to leave the TMC and go to the BJP, the Congress or the CPI(M) for the fault of a few.
“Whatever happens, it is the TMC which will remain at your feet and be with you in all your needs and problems,” she said, in a bid to pacify anger among some sections of the people over the phenomenal rise of wealth of a few local TMC leaders.
The Chief Minister said her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is the TMC youth wing president, is in the party because of his concern for her.
“Abhishek was a child when I was badly injured in an attack many years ago. Pained by my sufferings, he would roam about the house shouting slogans against the then Chief Minister Jyoti Basu seeking an answer on why I was attacked,” the TMC supremo said.
Defending Abhishek’s rise in the party, she said the new generation should come forward and join politics to give a cleaner political environment. She said the TMC has ushered in a better life for the impoverished people of Jangalmahal, many of whom could not afford one square meal a day and would eat ants to quell their hunger.
Welfare schemes
Ms.Banerjee said her government is running many welfare schemes - from rice for ₹2 per kg to ‘Kanyashree’ for girl students and ‘Utkarsha Bangla’ for skill development for the benefit of the people.
Claiming that Narendra Modi is the biggest “calamity for the country”, she said the country will be saved if he goes.
