In Trinamool Congress’ greatest show of strength yet, Mamata Banerjee addressed a “victory rally” in front of a massive crowd on Wednesday and announced that she would make all efforts to stop joint operations in Junglemahal, the Maoist areas of Bengal, and start touring the area from September 1 to take on armed CPM cadres.
She said prior to her tour she would hold a rally at Lalgargh in West Midnapore on August 9 to mark her intervention into the affairs of that region. This would be her first entry into the area since the start of Maoist activity there. She made clear that her party was against a joint operation in the state and she would soon meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ask him to stop the operations there.
? Our Prime Minister is a gentleman and I will soon meet him to request him to call off the operation. This operation is only oppressing the poor and helping the CPM to take away lives of those people who are against them. I hope the prime minister will understand the problem,? she said.
? We will first hold a rally at Lalgarh on August 9 and then from September 1 I shall start moving around Juglemahal. Let me see which harmad (CPM armed cadre) can cause how much harm to me,? Banerjee challenged.
In fact, Junglemahal, which covers large parts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts, had been left uncovered by the Opposition and there are constant altercations between the police, Maoists and CPM cadres.
There were even threats from the Maoists and people committees that they would not allow the forthcoming assembly elections to be held in that region. Banerjee?s announcement on Wednesday gave a clear indication that she would not only take on the CPM armed cadres but would also counter the Maoists in their attempt to jeopardise democracy.
Besides starting aggressive campaigns in Junglemahal, Banerjee also announced a host of programmes to keep her party continuously engaged in activities.
? Continue to work for increasing public contacts. There is no place for complacency,? Banerjee said. ? Be disciplined and behave well with common people,? Mamata asserted.
She said that her party would start campaigning against price rise from August 1 and protest against misappropriation of potato bonds.
Her priority would be to provide food and job to every people and electrify every village of the state after she assumed power.