From BJP to Mamata Banerjee, a 10,000 farmer rally challenge in Kolkata

BJP’s Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh has thrown a 10,000 farmer rally challenge in Kolkata to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. The BJP leader promised to showcase five times that number at their own rally, underlining that the farmers are with the party.

“I am challenging Mamata Banerjee and her leaders to gather 10,000 farmers and organise a rally in Kolkata if they can. We would organise 50,000 farmers and show them. The farmers are with Narendra Modi,” said Dilip Ghosh launching a mega booth-level outreach program ahead of the crucial assembly polls.

Ghosh also said that farmers in the state are not in favour of the Trinamool government in West Bengal. He alleged that Mamata Banerjee prefers to send her emissaries to meet agitating farmers stationed at Delhi borders but does not allow any protest rally in the state.

On Wednesday, Banerjee had sent five of her parliamentarians to meet the farmers at Singhu border to support their protest against the new farm laws. CM Banerjee also spoke to the farmers over phone and assured them of her support.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Mamata Banerjee’s government of “destroying” the state and depriving its over 70 lakh farmers of benefits from the Centre’s flagship PM-KISAN scheme under which ₹6,000 per year is given to each farmer.

Defending her government, CM Banerjee accused the PM of trying to mislead the people with half-truth and distorted facts.

Meanwhile, the BJP in Bengal launched a massive door-to-door outreach program titled ‘Amar Booth Sobcheye Mazboot (My booth is the strongest)’ in all 78,000 polling booths across the state with the party’s booth-level workers.

“We have been able to reach nearly every booth and set up booth committees. Booth level workers would be visiting every house till December 28. On December 27, they would urge people to listen to the Prime Minister’s Mann ki Baat program. Large screens would be set up in every booth,” said Ghosh.

In November, the BJP had drawn up a draft blueprint of the campaign strategy the party would adopt in the run-up to the 2021 elections. Plans were made up to the booth level, so that each and every ground level worker could be involved during the campaign period and the party could cover the maximum area before the elections come calling.

“This outreach program is a part of that and efforts are being made so that no booth level worker is left out. They are being given responsibilities,” said a senior BJP leader.

Each booth president would be given a kit comprising a facemask, sanitiser and a diary to mark details of the campaign. It would also have various leaflets containing details of the outreach program, a 23-point guide on the duties of a booth president and a letter from the PM. The booth president would be given a name plate for his house, a BJP flag, to be hoisted at his house, and stickers to distribute to every house he visits.