Bengal is set to witness a major exchange of political fire on Monday with the Trinamool Congress flexing its strength through its annual Martyrs’ Day rally in Calcutta and the BJP hitting the streets of Siliguri as part of its Uttar Kanya Abhijan.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who visited Esplanade to oversee the preparations for the Martyrs’ Day rally on Sunday, criticised the BJP’s move without naming their event directly, saying Trinamool never organises similar “parallel programmes”.

Mamata, as the chief speaker at the Trinamool rally by Victoria House, is expected to outline Trinamool’s roadmap for next year’s Assembly elections.

Simultaneously, leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari will lead the BJP’s north Bengal event , reportedly to highlight “violence against women” in Mamata’s Bengal and level corruption charges against the ruling Trinamool.

Obliquely referring to the BJP’s move, Mamata said: “They have organised a parallel programme to ours. We never organise parallel programmes during events of their senior leaders.”

Senior Trinamool leader, minister and Calcutta mayor Firhad Hakim directly attacked the BJP for its political event in north Bengal on the same day.

“They have no support or popularity in Bengal. That’s why they chose the same day as our Martyrs’ Day rally — hoping to be lit by Trinamool’s light,” said Hakim.

This year’s July 21 rally is also being organised under observation from Calcutta High Court, which directed police to ensure office-goers face no traffic snarls during the event.

Mamata explained the significance of holding the rally in the heart of Calcutta. “On July 21 in 1993, we organised a protest demanding no-vote without a voter identity card. The CPM indiscriminately fired at hundreds of people, killing 13 on the spot. Nowadays, many object to this event being held here. But we do so because this very spot was soaked in blood that day,” Mamata said.

A senior Trinamool leader in Calcutta said the party planned a massive show of strength this year as it is the last Martyrs’ Day before next year’s Assembly elections. “All district unit leaders have been asked to mobilise maximum numbers. This time, Didi will guide them on how to fight the BJP in next year’s polls. The challenge is to bring Mamata Banerjee back for a fourth consecutive term with more seats than in 2021,” the leader said.

Thousands of party workers and supporters have already reached Calcutta, many more are expected to arrive by Monday morning via trains and buses.

A Trinamool source said Mamata is likely to pitch the anti-Bengali narrative against the BJP. “The rising incidents of harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states have become a key issue. Didi has hit the streets over it, and she will certainly highlight it tomorrow (Monday),” the source said.

Many in the BJP felt it was vital for the principal Opposition force in Bengal to make its presence felt on a day dominated
by Trinamool. Adhikari called all party workers to join the march in Siliguri, focusing on violence against women, citing incidents like the RG Kar rape and murder and the Kasba law college gang rape.

A BJP source said the Siliguri event was Adhikari’s brainchild, and he fought a legal battle to get permission for the Uttar Kanya Abhijan on July 21.

“Since Trinamool’s formation, Mamata has dominated the political narrative on July 21. This is the first time the BJP is sharing the space with a political event in Siliguri...,” said political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty.

The Congress, led by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, will observe Martyrs’ Day in Nadia’s Palashi, demanding justice for 10-year-old Tamanna Khatun killed in a bomb attack on the Kaliganj bypoll result day on June 23, and for the doctor raped and murdered at RG Kar hospital last year.

Anubrata 'snubbed'

Police on Sunday did not allow Birbhum strongman Anubrata Mondal to meet Mamata by the July 21 dais at Esplanade. Mondal had arrived an hour before she reached Esplanade to greet her.