In a lengthy address to party leaders and workers this evening, Mamata, while referring to infighting in the party, said no amount of good work by the government will have any impact if the grassroots party workers cannot set an example that is different from that of the “corrupt communists”.
The meeting, which all Trinamool Congress district presidents, MLAs and MPs were asked to attend, was a clear signal of the panchayat polls in the state being pre-poned, said senior TMC leaders.
The panchayat polls are likely to be held towards the end of 2012 while the term of the present bodies is due to expire in May-June, 2013.
At today’s meeting, Mamata blew hot and cold, drawing the “lakshman rekha” for MLAs, MPs and block level leaders of the party, saying they should not feel they have achieved everything by winning the polls.
“I get information about each and every party leader — who are illegally filling up water bodies and raising real estate there, and those who are doing wrong things. Do not do these things. What will you do with so much money. Do you want to eat gold and silver? If you do it, you will get caught someday the way the skeletons are tumbling out of the Communist’s cupboards,” she said.
Senior TMC leaders said it was a clear indictment of some top party leaders who have been involved in real estate projects allowing water bodies to be filled up illegally.
Mamata also warned those indulging in “group politics” within the TMC. “Everyday I am flooded with SMSes as late as 1 am with one complaining against the other.”
She also directed that several block committees, district committees and student bodies will have to be reconstituted.
She said that the worst phase for the Trinamool Congress after winning the 2011 polls is over. “We have waded through many odds and at the end of 10 months I now feel confident that the communists cannot dislodge us.”
Ridiculing the communists, she said: “The CPM has become like Dodo birds, an extinct species. They will not be able to come back in Bengal in the next 100 years,” said Banerjee .
She said a section of the media was out to malign the government. “The media is picking up small things and blowing those out of proportions. They are curious see if we are having rice and salt or rice and prawns at home. So, do not do things that will affect the image of the party,” she said and went on to add: “Give the party offices the image of a Ramakrishna Mission ashram or give it the aura of Ajmer Sharif so that people love and respect the TMC party offices.”