Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will on Friday kick off the World Tribal Day or International Day for World’s Indigenous People celebrations in Jhargram, marking her first visit to any district after the Lok Sabha polls.

A source said Mamata would reach Jhargram by Thursday evening and return to Calcutta after attending the state-level programme on Friday.

“Our chief minister will be the chief guest at the World Tribal Day celebrations on Friday. The state-level programme has been planned in Jhargram this time,” said state forest minister and Jhargram MLA Birbaha Hansda.

The celebration will be held at Jhargram Stadium in the Jungle Mahal town.

A source said the visit by Mamata was significant as it would be her maiden trip to any district after the general election, in which her party won 29 out of 42 seats, including Jhargram.

“That her visit to places outside Calcutta in the state after the polls will start from a Jungle Mahal district is important as the Trinamool Coingress’s performance was significantly better this time compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls,” said a TMC leader in Jhargram.

The chief minister is likely to meet local Trinamool leaders after she reaches Jhargram on Thursday evening.

In the 2019 general election, the BJP had bagged five of six Lok Sabha seats in the Jungle Mahal, which comprises Jhargram, West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts.

In the 2024 general election, Mamata Banerjee’s party won four of the six seats in the region. The BJP’s margin of victory in the remaining two seats, Purulia and Bishnupur, significantly decreased.

The ruling dispensation believes that the party could have bagged those two seats if there had been no infighting in the TMC in those areas.

“So, Didi’s message from Jhargram is very significant for us,” said a senior Trinamool leader.