The Trinamool Congress is attempting to connect with every household at the local level as part of its preparations for the West Bengal panchayat elections by highlighting the advancements and social welfare initiatives undertaken by its government, particularly programmes for women's empowerment.
As a part of this, the party's women's wing on November 1 began an outreach programme that will last for over two and a half months and emphasise the initiatives of the Mamata Banerjee administration, such as the 50% reservation for women at panchayat levels.
Chandrima Bhattacharya, the head of the Trinamool Women's wing, is in charge of the "Cholo Gram e jai" ('Let's go to the village') campaign, which will run till January 12.
In a two-pronged effort to mobilise support before the elections, party volunteers will visit every house at the local level as part of these programmes, and meetings with women will be organised at the panchayat and block levels.
In Bengal, there are 36 organisational districts. 31 of these will participate in panchayat elections. In all 31 organisational districts where panchayat elections will take place, we will implement this approach, said Bhattacharya. She intends to travel to all 31 of the districts that will hold panchayat elections.
“We will definitely come out victorious in panchayat polls. In panchayats, there is already a 50% reservation for women. An array of social welfare schemes has been directed to women’s empowerment – (such as) Lakshmir Bhandar, Swasthya Sathi Health card, Kanyashree, widow pension. With an increasing number of people per booth, seats for women will increase, thus enhancing the involvement of women,” Bhattacharya said. “People are with us despite the usage of derogatory language by the opposition against our chief minister. Our seats have increased from 2011 to 2016 and 2021 continuously.”
Nearly 100,000 booths are located all over the state. We have between 25 and 30 women at each booth. Our women's power is unmatched by the opposition, she declared.
As part of the preparations for the panchayat elections, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee will also shortly begin district travels and meetings.
