• Break BJP bastion in 2024 and usher in a people's government: Mamata
• BJP 'hatao', CPM 'hatao', says Mamata
• Let there be one ideal party in India. Let that be Trinamul: Mamata
• Bengal is not being paid for 100 days of work (MGNREGS). Unless Centre payes us, we will organise a gherao in Delhi: Mamata
• They (Centre) have slapped GST even on puffed rice: Mamata
• Don't try to scare us with ED, CBI; 'cause we are not scared: Mamata
• It is not easy to thwart Bengal's aspirations, Mamata warns BJP
• All parties may be scared of you, BJP, but we are not scared of you: Mamata
• The people of Bengal know how to live with their heads held high: Mamata
• We want to give jobs, but the BJP wants to take away jobs: Mamata
• If Trinamul stays, Kanyashree stays, Sasthya Sathi stays, pension stays: Mamata
• BJP is plotting to topple all governments. That is what they do: Mamata
• Unemployment down by 40 per cent in Bengal: Mamata
• Rivals thought this July 21 rally will be washed out. They were wrong: Mamata
• The sun is shining again, telling us to march on: Mamata
• Heavy rain could not disrupt this gathering, but the BJP will be washed away in 2024, says Mamata Banerjee
• Trinamul supremo Mamata Banerjee arrives at venue
• Abhishek Banerjee speaks from the dias
• Bhaag BJP bhaag, says Firhad Hakim at the Martyrs' Day event
• Mamata is fighting like an iron man, victory is sure: Shatrughan
• I have followed the path shown by Didi since 2017 and will continue in the future: Anit
• Shatrughan Sinha, GTA chairman Anit Thapa speaks from the podium
• ED summoned Sonia to divert attention from our rally: Sudip
• Sudip Bandopadhay speaking from the dais, Abhishek Banerjee arrives at the venue
• Martyrs' Day event begins: After songs by Indranil Sen, Subrata Bakshi speaks from the podium
• Trinamul Congress supporters are trooping in to the city centre by thousands, many had arrived in the city by Wednesday afternoon
• Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to reach the venue of the rally via Bentinck Street
• Expected turnout in Thursday's mega rally is expected to touch 20 lakh, say party sources
• Traffic is being regulated on all major thoroughfares of the city, namely Amherst Street, Bidhan Sarani (KC Sen Street to Vivekananda Road), College Street, Brabourne Road, Strand Road (Hare Street to Raja Woodmount Street), BB Ganguly Street, Bentinck Street, New CIT Road, Rabindra Sarani (BK Pal Avenue to Lal Bazar Street)
• The rally, an annual event, is in remembrance of the death of 13 people in police firing during a protest that Mamata Banerjee, then a Youth Congress leader, was leading on July 21 in 1993. The Left Front was in power in Bengal at the time

Trinamul Congress leaders on Wednesday claimed Martyrs’ Day rally on Thursday would break all previous records of the July 21 event as they were expecting a turnout of around 20 lakh people.

On Wednesday, Banerjee asked everyone to cooperate with the administration for Thursday’s Martyrs’ Day rally in Calcutta and urged all to witness the event, which according to the Trinamul Congress would have “a record-shattering turnout”.

“Tomorrow is our July 21, and it is a historic, momentous occasion for us. It is a very emotive day for us…. We do most of our important dedications and remembrances from the event,” said the Bengal chief minister in a video message on social media.

“The weather is usually not great this time of the year, with a great deal of rain and thunderstorms sometimes. But our workers turn out in lakhs to attend the event, taking initiative on their own,” she added.

Public apology

The Trinamul Congress chairperson, who visited the Esplanade dais for the rally for around an hour on Wednesday evening to oversee the final arrangements, issued a public apology for the disruption the mega event was likely to cause.

“We cannot change the venue because this is where it took place. I seek forgiveness from the people. There will be crowding. Please bear with us for a day,” said Mamata at Esplanade.

This year, the event will be organised offline after a two-year gap and the party leaders have taken several special initiatives to make the event successful in terms of participation.

Breaking all records

“Ekushe July (July 21) rally this year will break all possible records in terms of gathering even compared to that of 2011 when the party came to power for the first time. According to reports coming from districts, it would cross 20 lakh,” said a senior Trinamul leader in Calcutta.

Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee said it would have been better had the event been planned at the Brigade Parade Grounds, instead of Esplanade.

“It would have been better had we organised the event at the Brigade instead of the Esplanade area.... The enthusiasm among party workers that we witnessed today is certainly unprecedented. According to our assessment, we will be able to accommodate only one-tenth of the total participants coming to Calcutta for the event,” said Abhishek, who visited the venue.

Live telecast

Sources said Trinamul leaders — in anticipation of a record turnout on Thursday — had decided to put up 100-odd giant screens at different points in the city to telecast the event live.

Abhishek said the party had arranged for food and accommodation for around 45,000 people but over 80,000 had reached Calcutta by Wednesday afternoon.

Sources in Trinamul said the plan to bring a record number of people started around a month ago.

One lakh people from North Bengal

A source said in the past few years, Trinamul workers and supporters, mainly from Calcutta and south Bengal districts like North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah, Birbhum and East Burdwan, used to attend the event. The participation of party workers from the districts in north and western Bengal was limited.

This time, the source added, the party has focussed on those zones where the BJP won several Assembly or parliamentary seats. Earlier, merely 20,000 to 30,000 people used to come to Calcutta from all six north Bengal districts. This time, at least one lakh people from north Bengal will attend the rally, said the source.

The Trinamul leadership laid stress on bringing more people from tribal communities from western districts like Purulia, Jhargram and Bankura, the pockets where the saffron camp performed well in the Assembly polls.

Trinamul leadership has also directed its Matua leaders in Nadia and North 24-Parganas to mobilise at least 50,000 people from the community for the July 21 rally.