Mamata Banerjee
Massive security arrangements have been made in West Bengal in view of Trinamool Congress (TMC) Martyrs' Day rally today to pay homage to 13 Youth Congress workers, allegedly killed in police firing in 1993 during the Left Front regime in the state. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was a leader
of the Youth Congress at that time.
Around 6,000 police personnel will be deployed for Trinamool Congress (TMC) Martyrs' Day rally here today, a senior officer of the Kolkata police said.
Besides, deployment of three Quick Response Team (QRT), Heavy Radio Flying Squads (HRFS) teams, four teams of Kolkata police's Reserve Force will be in action, the officer said.
The city police has already come up with around five watch towers for the rally near Victoria House at Esplanade, he said.
According to the IPS officer, roads leading to the rally area have been divided into 10 zones keeping in mind the huge number of people, from different corners of West Bengal, expected to turn up for the event.
Around 100 CCTVs have been installed in and around the rally area to keep a close look on the proceedings.
Police have also arranged hidden cameras near and underneath the dais of the rally to foil any "sabotage" attempt, the IPS said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is also expected to spell out her strategy for the next Lok Sabha polls at the party's annual Martyrs' Day rally, sources said.
According to TMC sources, the party will use the platform to spell out the strategy for the next Lok Sabha polls.
"Tomorrow we will get the directive from our supremo for the Lok Sabha poll next year. We will also give a befitting reply to allegations made by BJP leaders during Narendra Modi's (Midnapore) rally," a senior TMC leader said.
The rally is of immense importance given the party's ambition to play a major role after the next Lok Sabha polls, political observers said.
The rally, which will be participated by party supporters from all corners of the state, is also likely to see joining of Congress MLAs and senior leaders from other parties.
"We will take the pledge at the July 21 rally to oust the BJP in 2019. The country will definitely get the opportunity to see Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's developmental work nationwide after 2019," TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee had recently said.
Banerjee, along with senior TMC leaders, visited the venue at the Esplanade area in the heart of the city on Friday and checked the preparations for the rally.
According to senior TMC leaders, the party's aim to play a major role at the national level can only be successful if it manages to bag the maximum number of seats out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.
The party presently has 34 Lok Sabha seats from Bengal.
With nearly 40 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state being located in villages and semi-urban areas, the party is hoping to cash in on its stupendous performance in the May panchayat polls where it managed to win all the zilla parishads and nearly 80 per cent of the gram panchayat seats.
(With PTI inputs)
