Trinamool Congress (TMC) national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday issued a firm call to action for the party’s booth-level machinery, urging leaders and workers to remain on the highest alert during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. Addressing a mega virtual meeting of Booth Level Agents (BLA-2), Banerjee described the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter list exercise as a decisive political battle and warned against any slack within the organisation.
According to sources, Banerjee reminded party workers that he had flagged the importance of the exercise months ago. “I told you in November that this fight is for six months. Three months have passed. There are still three months ahead— about 100 days left,” he said. He noted that only around 22 days remain for the SIR-related process and stressed that the organisation’s “full strength” must be deployed within this limited timeframe.
Banerjee instructed that a booth-based ‘Voter Protection Committee’ comprising all BLA-2 members and booth presidents be formed immediately after the voter list is published to monitor developments closely.
During the meeting, the TMC leader expressed displeasure over the party’s war room not functioning effectively in several areas. Without naming individuals, he issued a sharp warning to public representatives. “If you are given responsibility and think it will be fine even if you don’t work — whether you are an MLA or an MP — you are mistaken. If you fail to fulfil your responsibility, the party will not stand by you,” he said.
Giving specific instructions to MPs, Banerjee reportedly asked them to attend Parliament for only one or two days and spend the remaining time in their constituencies. He cautioned against complacency and overconfidence, stating that there was no scope for a “go slow” approach. Referring to recent political developments outside the state, he said, “What happened in Delhi and Haryana, we will try to do the same in Bengal too.”
Banerjee also levelled serious allegations against the BJP, accusing it of misusing Form 7 to delete names from the voter list. According to sources, he claimed that BJP workers were submitting multiple forms at once in several areas to exclude TMC supporters from the rolls. “As seen in Haryana and Maharashtra, the same strategy is being used in Bengal. But we caught it because we were alert,” he said, adding that party workers in Bankura had thwarted such attempts at multiple locations.
He further warned that submitting more than 10 Form 7 applications at a time is a legal offence and can attract imprisonment of up to seven years. Despite this, he alleged, BJP workers were moving around with bags full of forms. Banerjee cautioned that if the TMC war room was not fully active, such attempts would intensify.
On organisational responsibility, Banerjee told MPs and MLAs to be prepared to contribute financially if required. “You have become MPs or MLAs because of the party. If necessary, you will have to spend from your own pocket,” he said, while adding that TMC does not demand a fixed share of funds from its public representatives, unlike some other parties.
He also instructed Rajya Sabha MPs to take charge in areas that do not have a Lok Sabha MP, ensuring organisational coverage across the state.
The strong messaging from the party’s top leadership made it clear that the TMC is unwilling to leave any room for laxity as it prepares for what it sees as a crucial battle over the voter list revision process.
Also read: ED chief Rahul Navin meets senior officials in Kolkata
Follow us
