Abhishek Banerjee on Friday held a virtual meeting with Trinamool Congress leaders to launch an extensive organisationally-backed outreach drive to ensure Mamata Banerjee’s fourth consecutive term as Bengal chief minister.

Countering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recently unveiled campaign slogan for the BJP in Bengal — Banchte chai, BJP tai (want to survive, hence the BJP), the Trinamool national general secretary introduced: “Banchte chai, tai BJP bye (want to survive, hence bid the BJP adieu)”.

Abhishek also launched another slogan: “Manbe na haar, Ma Mati Manusher sarkar abar (Unvanquished, yet another Ma-Mati-Manush government of Trinamool).”

“(Modi’s) slogan is boro shanghatik (very deadly), what they really mean is they want to kill and oppress many, which is why the BJP must be chosen. But we want everybody to survive, thrive, everyone together in harmony. Which is why we will stay, and the people will say ‘bye’ to them,” he was quoted as saying.

The Trinamool Number Two, according to sources, sought to establish that Bengal 2026 was going to lay the foundation for a larger national shift, asserting that the bhoy (fear) of 2029 (the next Lok Sabha election) for the BJP would be built from Trinamool’s joy (victory) next year.

Two days ahead of his mega virtual meet with nearly two lakh leaders, workers, and booth-level agents of his party for strategic guidelines for the next stages of the contentious special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, the Diamond Harbour MP held the Boxing Day meeting to kickstart the Assembly poll campaign with instructions for over 15,000 leaders and workers, expected to pay key on-field roles for the election campaign from January 1 (also the party’s foundation day).

“There will be battles along the way to win, but the war has already begun... there is zero scope for complacency,” Abhishek was quoted as saying in the meeting, where he sat alongside party state president Subrata Bakshi.

On Saturday, Abhishek will formally announce in a news conference the month-long campaign that would cover 80,000-odd booths.

Abhishek purportedly said the initiative would comprise two parallel programmes of Unnayaner Panchali (launched by Mamata on behalf of the government already) and Unnayaner Shonglap (development dialogues) that he would spearhead on behalf of the party to highlight the Trinamool dispensation’s achievements in its stint in power since the summer of 2011.

The campaign would also comprise Banglar Shomorthoner Songjog, with 38 specialised teams comprising five members each, including MPs and MLAs, to engage with 1,800 influencers (opinion-builders; not as implied in social media parlance) across the state. To ensure accountability, district coordinators appointed for this will monitor the grassroots progress in real-time. This has to be done within 30 days, starting January 1 next year.

Abhishek pitched the campaign as a fight for Bengal’s rights, reiterating that the BJP-led Centre continues to withhold the ₹2 lakh crore it owes to Bengal.

He said he would personally help build momentum next month with major rallies in South 24-Parganas, Birbhum, and Malda.

Sources said Abhishek’s main message was a stern warning against arrogance and indifference, and he told the party that the conduct of the leaders and the workers on the ground must be in tune with the chief minister’s own lifelong struggle and humility despite achievements.

“In your behaviour, your conduct, people should be able to see Mamata Banerjee,” he purportedly told his audience, underscoring that public perception hinges on how local representatives of the ruling dispensation treat the masses on the ground.