Representatives of the Malda Zilla Kisan Jati Seva Samiti (MZKJSS), an organisation representing the Kisan Jati community that dwells in the district, has called for a united campaign of “No vote to Trinamool” in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Leaders of the MZKJSS told the media on Wednesday that they were aggrieved by the state government's failure to grant the community Scheduled Tribe (ST) status despite promising to do so.

Malda Trinamool leaders maintained that the onus of granting ST status to any community falls on the Centre and not state.

Addressing the media on Wednesday, MZKJSS leaders announced their resolution to defeat the ruling Trinamool “by all possible means.”

The organisation, however, did not clarify whether it would field candidates of its own or support the Opposition.

“We have a population of around 2.65 lakh in Malda, of which nearly 1.5 lakh Kisan community members are registered voters. For the past 15 years, Trinamool leaders have repeatedly promised us that we get ST status, especially before elections,” said Ashish Mandal, secretary of the MZKJSS, on Wednesday.

“But those promises were never fulfilled, and we have been deceived every time. This time, the community has decided that none of us will vote Trinamool in any of the 12 Assembly seats of Malda district,” Mandal said.

The leaders claimed that the Kisan Jati voters could play a decisive role in at least four Assembly seats — Manikchak with around 42,000 voters from the community, Baishnabnagar (41,000), Ratua (30,000) and Mothabari (25,000).

“We are not boycotting the Assembly elections. We are only boycotting Trinamool. If Trinamool leaders approach Kisan Jati voters for support, they must first ensure that we get ST status,” Mandal said.

He stated that the community would extend collective electoral support to any political party that makes a clear and credible promise to grant ST status to the Kisan Jati.

Responding to the development, Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury, a veteran Trinamool leader and a state-vice president of the party from Malda, said: "Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has written to the Prime Minister, seeking ST status for the Kisan Jati. However, the Centre has not made any decision so far. The state has its limitations in this matter."

Choudhury added: "Those calling for the defeat of Trinamool are acting as BJP agents."

The BJP welcomed the organisation’s decision to oppose Trinamool, though it stopped short of making a specific promise regarding the ST status.

“The Kisan Jati, like many other communities, has been betrayed by Trinamool. Tribal communities, Matuas, Rajbanshis, Gorkhas, SCs and OBCs have all been deceived. They are now ready to oust this government. When the BJP forms a government in this state, we will work in the interest of all these communities,” said Nilanjan Das, the general secretary of the BJP’s Malda south (organisational) district.