With barely a month left before voters head to the booths for the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly Election, on 23 April, the ruling Trinamul Congress is gearing up for an aggressive campaign across the state, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
According to party sources, Mamata Banerjee is expected to kick off her north Bengal campaign on 24 March, with rallies scheduled in Matigara, Moynaguri and Alipurduar.
The tentative campaign launch will include a major public meeting at Alipurduar Parade Ground, along with two additional rallies on the same day.
Sources said the Trinamul chairperson will begin her campaign from her constituency, Bhawanipore, with a workers’ meeting on Sunday before heading straight to north Bengal, where all constituencies will vote in the first phase on 23 April.
With about a month in hand, the leadership is focusing on intensifying outreach in the region, which has traditionally been a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party, despite gains made by the ruling party after the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Political observers believe Mamata herself stepping into the fray signals the party’s intent to reclaim lost ground and consolidate support.
Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee will simultaneously spearhead the campaign in south Bengal, beginning 24 March with a public meeting in Patharpratima in South 24-Parganas.
The following day, he is scheduled to campaign across East and West Midnapore, addressing rallies in Daspur, Keshiary and Narayangarh, followed by a workers’ meeting in Nandigram.
Nandigram is expected to witness a high-voltage contest this election, with Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari facing Trinamul candidate Pabitra Kar, a former close aide of Adhikari who recently joined the party under Abhishek Banerjee’s leadership.
The constituency had been a focal point in the 2021 Assembly elections and is set to remain a key battleground.
In addition, Abhishek Banerjee has lined up an extensive campaign schedule in north Bengal, with rallies and road shows planned across nine constituencies on 26, 28 and 31 March.
He is also expected to carry out sustained outreach programmes in multiple districts throughout the month, signalling a coordinated two-front campaign by the party leadership to counter the BJP across regions.