Residents of Siliguri have recently been observing active people outreach initiatives led by the Trinamul Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which began on Saturday, March 22, 2025. Both parties are working extensively to engage the electorate ahead of the upcoming elections.
The TMC has organized the first meeting of the electoral roll scrutiny within their local Observation Committee at Asansol, attended by several key figures. Among those present were two state ministers: Pradip Majumdar, the MLA from Durgapur East, and Moloy Ghatak, the MLA for Asansol North and law minister, alongside district president Narendra Nath Chakraborty, who also serves as the MLA for Pandaveswar. This meeting is part of a broader initiative to ensure the accuracy of voter lists as the 2026 State Assembly elections approach.
In a virtual meeting earlier, TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee emphasized the significance of creating a new committee in West Burdwan district. They aim to correct any discrepancies in the draft electoral rolls, as concerns surface regarding the potential inclusion of bogus or ghost voters in the forthcoming electoral roll.
Banerjee has proactively alerted her party members regarding these issues, motivating them to participate actively in the verification process. Block-level committees have already commenced their outreach work, visiting households to match voter lists with residents' identity proofs, ensuring every vote counts.
The Asansol meeting saw leaders gathering updates on ongoing scrutiny efforts, with valuable suggestions shared among attendees. Booth presidents, alongside area-level coordinators, are tasked with forming five-member committees to work closely with district leaders and facilitate efficient data exchange.
Among the notable attendees was Hareram Singh, the MLA of Jamuria, who spoke about the importance of strict adherence to the leadership’s guidelines during the verification. Deputy mayor of Asansol Municipal Corporation, Abhijit Ghatak, and chairman Amarnath Chatterjee also reiterated the significance of this exercise.
Chakraborty has underscored the necessity for party workers to meticulously adhere to leadership instructions throughout the verification process, highlighting the overarching goal of the TMC to secure a sweep of all nine Assembly seats in the West Burdwan district. Currently, the TMC holds six of these seats, including Jamuria, Asansol North, and Durgapur East, while the BJP holds three, including Kulti and Durgapur West.
Mamata Banerjee has set a bold target of securing 215 seats for the TMC in the upcoming elections, demonstrating her party's commitment and ambition. Ghatak shared insights during the recent meeting, indicating that this first top-level gathering of TMC leadership in West Burdwan district is just the beginning. Plans are in place for follow-up meetings to ensure the effectiveness of their strategy.
The TMC remains hopeful that their organized outreach and vigilance will carry them through to victory in all nine Assembly seats in the upcoming election.
