Expressing her resolve to restructure the Trinamool, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asked leaders in the party to stop “converting public assets into private ones”.
Addressing 3,000 councillors of various civic bodies, she said: “There is a tendency among councillors to transfer public property to their relatives..., and this has to stop.” She also warned them against “collecting” money from the poor. “₹2,000 is given [under a scheme], and even from that you [Trinamool leaders] take ₹200? Those who left [for the BJP] used to indulge in such things; if anyone is indulging in such a practice, please refrain. These schemes are designed to give money back to the public,” she said.
The Chief Minister asked the councillors to keep their wards “clean and garbage-free.” The meeting was convened at a time when many TMC councillors are leaving the party and joining the BJP.
Ms. Banerjee asked the chairpersons of various civic bodies who were keen on leaving the party to identify themselves, took a roll call of members, and told them to quit if they wished. “Those who want to leave are requested to do so. Leave early so that we may give an opportunity to young members. But once you go, you will not be re-inducted. Thieves will not be accommodated in the party,” she said.
One of the councillors told The Hindu that while they welcomed such a “stern message,” the Chief Minister should explain “how and why the top leadership amassed so much land and property”. “Councillors get crumbs of a giant bread which is distributed among top leaders, and unless that issue is addressed, such a warning is useless,” the councillor said.
Ms. Banerjee also underscored the need for doing away with electronic voting machines and correcting the electoral rolls.
“Our slogan in the coming months should be, ‘bring back the ballot papers’. I would ask you [the councillors] to scrutinise the rolls, a process done earlier by political parties. Now, government officials do it. They dropped Trinamool voters from the rolls, and I received many complaints. The workers will have to scrutinise the list from now on,” she said.
