Kolkata: Not satisfied with being limited to power only in Bengal, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) is eyeing to capture power in the small states, with the bigger aim and target being the seat of power in Delhi.
Thus, after Tripura and Assam, the TMC has set its sights on Goa. After her North Bengal tour, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will herself go to Goa on 28 October. Banerjee’s planned visit shows how important this western state is to the TMC’s election scheme of things. Banerjee herself expressed her excitement over the visit in a tweet on Saturday morning. At the same time, she hinted at how politically significant the visit would be. Mamata Banerjee wrote on Twitter, “I am preparing for my visit to Goa on the 28th. I call on all personalities, organizations and political parties to unite to defeat the BJP. The people of Goa have suffered a lot for the last 10 years. If all unite, a new government will be formed which will bring a new morning in Goa. It is desirable for the new government to be a government of the people, to understand the problems of the people.”
Assembly elections in Goa are slated for February 2022. Before that, the ruling party of Bengal will sound the poll bugle for the Goa elections from next Monday. At the beginning of the campaign, Saugat Roy will be accompanied by Babul Supriyo who has just left the BJP and joined the Trinamool Congress. The TMC has also unveiled a new slogan for Goa—Goenchi Navi Sakal, that is, a new dawn in Goa.
On arriving in Goa, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has several administrative meetings lined up. Then, Banerjee may hold a press conference. Sources have said that several well-known personalities may join the TMC during Mamata Banerjee’s Goa visit. Luisinho Faleiro, a former CM of Goa and a long-time Congress leader; 10 Congress leaders as well as two Goa football stars Denzil Franco and Leni de Gama joined the TMC a few days ago. Konkani writer N. Shivdas said he had personally met Prashant Kishor in Kolkata. N. Shivdas claimed that he wants to enter the Trinamool Congress keeping in mind the elections of 2022 and 2024. On the other hand, Derek O’Brien has also met popular singer Lucky Ali and actress Nafisa Ali. Ahead of Mamata Banerjee’s visit to Goa, the TMC announced on Friday that Luisinho Faleiro had been appointed as the TMC’s all-India co-president.