Deb, Ghosh march for mass connect

TT, Siliguri/Cooch Behar: Bengal ministers Gautam Deb and Rabindranath Ghosh launched the "Janasanyog Yatra" (rally to connect with people) and walked in and around Siliguri and Cooch Behar, respectively, on Friday to revive the Trinamul Congress's support base in north Bengal.

After the recent debacle of the party in the region ­ BJP has bagged seven of eight Lok Sabha seats in north Bengal ­ this is the first time that the two ministers hit the streets.

"State Trinamul leaders are not happy with both the ministers because of the party's dismal performances in the Parliament elections in north Bengal. While Deb couldn't wrest the Darjeeling seat from the BJP, Ghosh failed to stop Trinamul's erosion in Cooch Behar. Even in their Assembly segments, Trinamul is much behind the BJP," said a political observer.

In Dabgram-Fulbari (Deb's Assembly constituency in Jalpaiguri district), Trinamul trailed behind the BJP by 86,000 votes. In Natabari (Ghosh's seat in Cooch Behar district), the BJP has secured Minister Deb (center) with party workers at the rally on the outskirts of Siliguri on Friday. Picture by Passang Yolmo a margin of 18,000 votes over Trinamul.

On Friday, Deb joined a rally in Dabgram 1 panchayat in his Assembly seat. Accompanied by local leaders and supporters, he started from Bikashnagar and walked till Salugara, covering around one-and-a-half kilometres.

"One should not compare parliamentary elections to the polls to the Assembly and municipalities. We have started our programme to connect with more people. Similar programmes will be held in the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad area and also in the city," said tourism minister Deb Trinamul plans to hold a rally in the city on July 13.

In Cooch Behar, Ghosh's rally commenced from near the civic office and moved through different roads. After several months, leaders of all the lobbies were seen walking together for around 5km.

"This indicates the desperation of Trinamul. They seem to have finally realised that they need to work together as the civic elections are round the corner. The civic election is important as it would be an acid test for the party ahead of the Assembly polls," said a Cooch Behar resident.

Ghosh, however, tried to put up a brave face.

"Our consistent political activities will help us regain the ground in Cooch Behar. People are disillusioned with the BJP," he said..