The crowd at Monday’s Lalgarh meeting. Picture by Pradip Sanyal

Calcutta, Aug. 10: Mamata Banerjee’s lieutenants have asked Trinamul workers in Lalgarh villages to gauge how tribals owing allegiance to the Maoist-backed People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities have reacted to her call to the guerrillas to shun violence and start talks for development.

The rush to get the feedback came on a day Trinamul Congress leaders dubbed the railway minister’s Lalgarh rally yesterday a success. Even sections of the Left admitted the event would help her party get a foothold in a region from where the ruling communists have virtually retreated because of the rebel threat.

“I urge my Maoist friends to take part in a dialogue. If necessary, the joint forces will be withdrawn,” Mamata had told the rally yesterday.

Today, a Trinamul leader claimed the message had reached the tribals in the remote areas from the thousands of PCPA supporters who attended the rally. “We will find out whether the tribals are reacting positively to our netri’s (leader’s) proposal,” Mrigen Maity, a senior West Midnapore Trinamul leader, said. He said party workers had been asked to send the feedback in writing. “There was no response from the tribals when Mamata had made a similar appeal at a rally in Jhargram in February. We are hopeful of a positive response this time.”

PCPA leader Manoj Mahato was unavailable on his cellphone for comment on Mamata’s proposal, but sources close to the outfit said they were “positively” considering her offer.

But whatever the response, yesterday’s rally appeared to have boosted spirits within Trinamul. Party leaders offered two main reasons. First, Mamata’s foray had sent a positive message among the Trinamul ranks on consolidating the party’s weak base in the district. “We do not have a single MLA out of the 19 from the district. In last year’s Lok Sabha polls, when we swept other parts of the state, all three Lok Sabha seats (in the area) went to the Left,” said a Trinamul district secretary.

Second, Trinamul leaders feel Mamata’s announcement about building schools and hospitals would prompt tribals to think positively about development. “We are hopeful this would help them ignore the vote boycott call (given by the Maoists). If we can win over the tribals, we shall be able to oust the Left from West Midnapore,” said Trinamul state president Subrata Bakshi.

Even a section of the ruling Left acknowledged that Mamata’s “mission was successful”. RSP central secretariat member Manoj Bhattacharya said: “I doubt if Maoists will shun violence in response to Mamata’s offer. But what we could not, Mamata did. She had succeeded in holding a meeting in Lalgarh. This will help her consolidate her party.”