The Trinamul Congress on Wednesday launched its campaign for the civic elections in the business hub of Burrabazar from the platform of a local welfare trust.

The occasion was Holi Preeti Sammelan, organised by Dinesh Bajaj, the chairman of Jorasanko Welfare Trust and a former Trinamul MLA.

With senior leaders like Firhad Hakim, Sovan Chatterjee, Sadhan Pande, Sanjay Bakshi and Smita Bakshi having been invited to the event, the focus had to be on the civic elections. "The meeting is basically a launchpad for the upcoming civic polls," said Bajaj.

Trinamul leader Sanjay Bakshi echoed Bajaj's views, saying that though the occasion was to exchange greetings, the focus was on the polls that are round the corner.

This was the second time in March that Trinamul ran a campaign for the civic polls among the business community of Burrabazar from the platform of a traders' association.

The earlier occasion was a Holi get-together of the International Marwari Federation organised by Bajaj at a banquet hall near Alipore.

At Wednesday's programme, mayor Sovan Chatterjee said in the presence of Trinamul candidates from Burrabazar and Jorasanko that the wards in the regions were crucial for the party to retain its control of the civic body.

In a bid to woo the business community, Chatterjee said the civic board under him had improved drainage and water supply and rationalised rents for traders.

The Jorabagan water treatment plant and the Jagannath Ghat pumping station were among the projects mentioned by the mayor.

Chatterjee said that if re-elected, Trinamul would try to de-clutter the region. "There will be push to clear traffic in the Posta region," he said.

"The party is considering the votes from the region as critical for the civic elections. There is a possibility that a winning candidate from among the wards in the region may be considered for the post of deputy mayor," a Trinamul leader said.