In the backdrop of allegations of extortion bids and threatening of officials of a steel plant by a section of Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers, party chief and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday cautioned party workers to refrain from such activities.
“Those who don’t have principles and values should not come into politics. Some people are spreading canards against Trinamool but we will not fall into their trap,” she told a party rally in Kolkata.
Ms. Banerjee’s warning to her party workers comes just two days after three of its leaders of Burdwan-Asansol industrial area were suspended for alleged extortion bid and threatening officials of a steel plant at Jamuria in Burdwan district.
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“Don’t try to become a leader by lobbying. Become a leader by working with the masses. Trinamool Congress is the only party where a leader is not made by lobbying. Those who are working hard in villages, towns will find their place in it. I will find them,” Ms. Banerjee told a party rally in Kolkata.
To make the party stronger, she advised the workers to increase mass contact. “I want such a generation of young leaders who will work for next four decades.”
Ms. Banerjee said she is not in politics for any love for the Chief Minister’s post and the general people were her family.
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“I want to tell everybody that we don’t need money from anyone — there is no need of giving money. I don’t believe in such politics. I will paint, write poems to raise money for my party during elections,” she said.
Ms. Banerjee also advocated electoral reforms so that no party needed to ‘beg’ for money and the Election Commission would conduct polls.