CM Mamata Banerjee targets Adhir Chowdhury on home turf: ‘No time for politics, only work’

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She added, “Six municipalities have come under our control. I have asked state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim to see that in every municipality 100 persons should be engaged under the 100-days’ work scheme.”

This was Mamata’s first visit to the district, an erstwhile Congress stronghold, after being re-elected as the Chief Minister. Trinamool Congress took control of Murshidabad Zila Parishad and Berhampore Municipality recently, with many Congress and Left Front members switching over to the TMC. Mamata said there were problems, but “we will find solution. Help us in reviving the glory of Murshidabad district with development”.

Targeting Adhir over the alleged lack of development in the district, Mamata said, “No developmental work had been done here. There was a railway minister (Adhir) who did nothing here and only used to go around practicing high-handedness and foulmouthing me. Can you do one per cent of the work I did?”

Mamata said that even though she had not received a lot of votes from the district, she urged the people to help turn things around in Murshidabad and usher in development. “Murshidabad is famous for textiles. We will develop this sector. We are committed to help various Self Help Groups and artisans”.

She added that special attention would be paid to the tourism sector, for which a tourism circuit would be developed along Miti Jheel, Hajar Duari and Plassey.

She added that her government has also built three super specialty hospitals there.

Referring to cow smuggling to Bangladesh, the CM said, “In today’s meeting, I talked to the chairmen of six municipalities and 20 zila parishad members and asked them to put forward suggestions to tackle the issue. I would urge people, especially the youth, here to check smuggling of cattle and human trafficking. Cow smuggling should be stopped.” She added, “Women trafficking should also be stopped.”

Sources said former Congress MLA Mohammed Sohrab, who had recently defected to the Trinamool, would be made the district chairman of the party in Murshidabad. He would be working in tandem with party district president Mannan Hossain.

In another TMC meeting scheduled on October 18, the new incumbents in the party would be formally inducted and the posts alloted to them would be made official.