Abhishek Banerjee warns TMC leaders against strongarm tactics, corruption in panchayat bodies

The meeting comes in the backdrop of a major overhaul in the party organisation last week ahead of next year’s crucial panchayat polls

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has cautioned party leaders against strongarm tactics and corruption in West Bengal panchayats, where rural poll is due next year.

Mr. Banerjee, who has been holding a series of meetings with the district leaderships of Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, Nadia, Malda, South Dinajpur, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts for the past week, has also said the party is keeping a close tab on activities of representatives in the rural bodies.

He is also scheduled to hold similar meetings with the leaders of other districts in the coming days.

“Our party leader Abhishek Banerjee has clearly said that the party won’t tolerate any strongarm tactics and use of violence to win the panchayat poll. He has clearly said that if anyone violates the party’s diktat, stern action would be taken against him or her. He has also asked party leaders to shun infighting and work as a team,” a TMC leader present during the meetings told PTI.”

The meeting comes in the backdrop of a major overhaul in the party organisation last week in which heads of several district presidents rolled and several new faces were brought in with a thrust on toning up the party ahead of next year’s crucial panchayat polls.

The TMC leader said Mr. Banerjee has stressed that the party is confident of winning the people’s mandate overwhelmingly due to the developmental work it has done in the last 11 years it is in power in Bengal.

“It has been communicated by Mr. Banerjee that situations like the 2018 panchayat poll must not be repeated as the party had to pay heavily for those excesses in the 2019 parliamentary poll,” the party leader said.