Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday asked Trinamool Congress leaders in South 24-Parganas to strengthen booth-level organisation by building a proactive grassroots network and deepening proximity with common people in the backdrop of the ongoing SIR exercise.
The Trinamool national general secretary urged the leaders to channel public anger towards alleged harassment over the special intensive revision of the voter list into electoral support.
At a marathon strategy meeting held at the party’s Amtala office on Sunday, the Diamond Harbour MP reportedly advised district leaders to highlight the Mamata Banerjee government’s development initiatives and expose what he described as the Centre’s stepmotherly attitude towards Bengal.
Abhishek is understood to have stressed unity and urgency, instructing the leaders to take a proactive role without complacency.
“Abhishek made it categorically clear that no complacency would be allowed,” said a Trinamool leader who attended the meeting.
During a break in the meeting, Abhishek stepped out to interact with reporters and launched a sharp attack on the Bengal leadership of the CPM, accusing it of ideological bankruptcy.
The criticism came in the backdrop of Pratik-ur Rahaman, who had quit the CPM, joining Trinamool by accepting the party flag from Abhishek on the road outside the Amtala office.
Shortly after he joined Trinamool, the CPM expelled Pratik-ur for "serious anti-party activities".
Abhishek questioned the ideological consistency of the Left, particularly over its stand on the SIR.
“We are fighting alone on the SIR. The SIR is happening in Kerala, where the CPM is in power. Yet, there is no protest there. What is their ideology? In 2021, they fought the Congress in Kerala, and on the same day, they fought alongside the Congress in Bengal. What ideology is this?” he asked.