In view of the sudden demise of the playback singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, decided to cut short her scheduled political programme in erstwhile Maoist-infested Bankura district on Wednesday morning and rushed back to Kolkata.
A mega public rally at Bankura was scheduled on Wednesday at 12 noon. However, the Chief Minister arrived at the rally venue at 10.45 a.m. and completed her speech within 20 minutes.
"I will take a flight to Kolkata from Andal Airport. If I am able to reach Kolkata in time, I will interact with KK's family members who have already arrived there. I have spoken to KK's wife. My ministers are there to oversee all the necessary arrangements. Gun salute by Kolkata Police personnel will also be arranged to pay respect to the deceased singer at the Kolkata airport only," the Chief Minister said.
Wednesday's rally at Bankura was quite crucial for the Chief Minister considering that this erstwhile Maoist-infested district shifted towards BJP since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Both the Lok Sabha constituencies in the district, namely Bankura and Bishnupur, have elected BJP Parliamentarians now. Even in the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections, Trinamool Congress conceded defeat in four assembly constituencies.
Understanding that the negative public sentiment about Trinamool Congress is still prevailing in this erstwhile left- wing extremism (LWE)-affected belt of the state, the Chief Minister confided that people of the area went away from her party because of the wrongdoings by some of her partymen.
Speaking on the occasion, she called for block-level stirs in Bankura district to demand the immediate release of the central dues to the state government.
While addressing a similar public rally at another erstwhile Maoist-infested district of Purulia on Tuesday, the Chief Minister asserted that that since the Central dues to Bengal is the greatest barrier in accelerating the pace of development projects in the state, there is a need for block level agitation, where common people will put pressure on the local BJP leaders to ensure the clearance of the Central dues.
Also understanding that the consecutive defeats have negatively impacted the morale of the grassroots level party workers in Bankura district, the Chief Minister said, "If after facing defeat I can come to Bankura again, why will you keep yourselves confined at home."
