Trinamul forms single union for tea gardens

TT, Calcutta, Aug. 23: The Trinamul Congress today formally announced the formation of an umbrella union for tea gardens that will be called the Chai Bagan Trinamul Congress Mazdoor Union.

The union has been formed after merging six trade unions operational in the tea belt of north Bengal.

Formally announcing the union, which took shape at a convention at the Netaji Indoor Stadium on Saturday, party' secretary-general Partha Chatterjee said the body would be headed by Mohan Sharma.

"We have formed an ad hoc committee with Mohan Sharma as its president. Buluchik Baraik and Rajen Mukhia will be the joint convenors," Chatterjee told a news conference this evening at the party headquarters. "The three of them will meet to draw up the strategy for the body within two weeks," he said.

The decision to form the umbrella body was taken by Mamata Banerjee at a meeting of the party's policy-making body at her residence on August 6. The union formation is aimed at streamlining the ruling party's tea union politics, which according to Mamata has been "unorganised" in the past.

Sources in the ruling party said the new union would strengthen the party's organisational presence in the tea belt spread over Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar.

"From the top, (PWD minister and north Bengal observer for the party) Aroop Biswas and (power minister and veteran trade union leader) Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay would be overseeing the activities of the body," said a senior Trinamul MLA.

According to him, in at least 18 of the 27 constituencies in the four districts, tea garden residents play a decisive role in elections.