West Bengal elections: Mamata Banerjee leads North drive, Abhishek South

Jayatri Nag

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will launch her Assembly poll campaign from North Bengal on March 24, while Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will begin with rallies in the southern districts.

The twin push aims to tap both of the state's key political theatres. "The CM leading from Alipurduar signals the party is taking the BJP's challenge in North Bengal seriously," a senior TMC leader said.


Banerjee will address a mega rally at Alipurduar Parade Ground on March 24, followed by meetings at Matigara (Darjeeling) and Maynaguri (Jalpaiguri) on March 25. She will also campaign in Dabgram-Fulbari and Matigara-Naxalbari.

On March 26, she is scheduled to cover Pandabeswar (Paschim Bardhaman), Dubrajpur (Birbhum), and parts of Purulia and Bankura, before moving southward. On March 31, she will address rallies in Chandrakona (West Medinipur), Garbeta (West Medinipur) and Bishnupur (Bankura) in the first leg of her campaign.

Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee will start in South Bengal and move northwards.

The strategy is seen as an attempt to regain ground in North Bengal, a BJP stronghold since its gains in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and sustained presence in the 2021 Assembly polls.

BJP Steps Up Ground connect

Ahead of BJP national president Nitin Nabin's March 24 visit, the party held key organisational meetings in Siliguri and Durgapur. Senior leaders, including Bengal in-charge Sunil Bansal and Union minister Bhupender Yadav, met candidates and district leaders to firm up strategy.

The BJP is sharpening its grassroots outreach with door-to-door campaigns, booth-level management and messaging on central welfare schemes, while targeting the Trinamool over alleged neglect of North Bengal and delays in central projects such as Har Ghar Jal.