The CPM leaders are to hold a series of rallies, road shows and mass meetings in Kolkata South to launch an offensive against Banerjee.

Party insiders say the CPM wants to hem in Mamata in her turf — the Trinamool chief is pitted against CPM’s Rabin Deb who she defeated in 2004 by nearly a lakh votes—so that she has little time to campaign for her candidates elsewhere.

“This is an important constituency and therefore it is natural that our party’s top leadership will campaign here. People in Kolkata South have understood that Mamata Banerjee is anti-development and anti-progress and therefore I will win with a huge margin,” Deb said.

While Bose will address two rallies, one in Behala East and another in Bhowanipur on May 7, Yechuri, will address a rally in Topsia on the same day.

This will be followed by a rally on Broad Street, Ballygunge, where Brinda Karat will be the main speaker on May 8. Sen will hold a rally on the same day in Rashbehari, apart from participating in a roadshow.

Prakash Karat will hold a rally on May 9 in Charbasti crossing in Kolkata port area. The next day, on May 10, the chief minister will hold two rallies in Kolkata South, first in Barisha High School Maidan at Behala Chowrasta and the second at Kasba.

According to CPM sources, the decision to take on Mamata in her constituency was taken recently by state party brass as she is touring Bengal campaigning for party leaders standing from various constituencies and is spending comparatively little time in Kolkata South.

The series of rallies are timed to coincide with the second and third phase of elections in the state, during which the constituencies that the Trinamool is fighting go to polls. In the first phase in Bengal, most of the seats that went to polling were contested by the Congress.

Also, the majority of the constituencies which the Left fears losing will go to the polls in the second and third phase.

“Trinamool Congress is a Mamata-centric party and it is her personal image which works at all the constituencies. So, we plan to target her in her own constituency,” said a senior CPM leader.

“Mamata is the symbol of resistance to CPM’s atrocities throughout Bengal and even in India. It is not surprising they will use their entire might to stop her from winning. We know they are bringing in dozens of heavyweights in Kolkata South to campaign against her. Let them bring in all their leaders here. This will only highlight their weakness and such antics will only increase Mamata’s winning margin,” said senior Trinamool leader Mukul Roy.