In keeping with its plan to expand its footprints across the country, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) set up its first office in Haryana at Gurugram on Wednesday, aiming to increase its presence in the State over the next couple of months. Party leaders said that TMC would contest all forthcoming elections, including Panchayat and municipal polls, in the State.
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member and Haryana in-charge Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, present on the occasion, said the party has the support of the common man in Haryana and that offices would set up in all districts over the next three to four months. “We have supporters in every district. We will reach out to people in every village and locality,” announced Mr. Ray.
He added that Haryana, though geographically not a big State, has an important place in the history of the country starting from Harappan civilisation and was politically significant being close to Delhi. He said that farmers not getting remunerative prices for their crops was one of the major issues in the State.
Former Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar, who had formally joined the TMC last month, said ad hoc committees at the district and block levels would be constituted over the next few days to take forward the party’s expansion plans. Mr. Tanwar, the former Sirsa Lok Sabha MP, said he along with other prominent leaders would tour all the 90 Assembly constituencies in the State to expand the support base for the party in January next year with a simultaneous membership drive, followed by a rally by TMC founder chairperson Mamata Banerjee.
In reply to a question, Mr. Tanwar said all political and also non-political people willing to see a change in the system were welcome to the party’s fold. He added that leaders across parties and States had accepted the leadership of Ms. Banerjee and she was the only alternative to the BJP’s misrule.
