Trinamool’s tea belt strategy to be replicated in 2024 LS elections

MP | 3 Aug 2023 | Alipurduar: The decision to club different trade unions affiliated to the TMC to form a single one in the tea gardens is being seen as a major contributor to the massive victory of the party in the Panchayat election in Alipurduar district. TMC aims to replicate this during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections also. 

After suffering defeats in the Alipurduar district during the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 Assembly elections, the ruling party leaders in the state realised that winning this district would depend on garnering support of tea workers, who held a decisive 65 per cent vote share. 

Unfortunately, these workers were increasingly leaning towards the BJP due to a lack of effective leadership in the TMC camp, especially the trade union. In 2021, following the face-off in the district’s five Assembly seats, the party conducted a thorough analysis and decided to dissolve various tea workers’ unions operating under the Trinamool banner and form a unified union known as the Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union (T.C.B.S.U). 

In April 2022, Trinamool officially announced its single tea workers union policy and actively supported the tea workers through various initiatives. The state government also initiated various pro-worker welfare schemes. 

Furthermore, the daily wages of tea workers were increased to Rs 232. Trinamool Congress trade union leaders claimed that the success in the recent Panchayat elections was a result of addressing these issues. 

The state president of the AITTUC, Ritabrata Banerjee, stated: “To establish power in the tea gardens, an organisation must move in the right direction. We managed to win back the support of the tea workers. 

To sustain this success until the Lok Sabha elections, we need to undertake significant political movements.” Birendra Bara Oraon, district president of the Tea Garden Workers’ Union of Trinamool Congress (T.C.B.S.U), stated: “We have been facing significant challenges due to the presence of several trade unions in the tea garden. 

The demands of the tea workers were not being fulfilled with multiple unions. However, with the dissolution of all previous unions and the formation of TCBSU, the situation turned around in our favour. We are confident that this support will continue until the Lok Sabha 2024 election.” 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/trinamools-tea-belt-strategy-to-be-replicated-in-2024-ls-elections-528035