Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, speaking at a public meeting in Malda, underscored the issues of erosion caused by the Ganga in the districts of Malda and Murshidabad and generously approved the demands made by elected representatives of her party from different areas of both districts.

The move is being seen by observers as a dual strategy to exert the pressure on the BJP on the issue of erosion and simultaneously retain Trinamul’s support base in the districts, both of which are minority-dominated areas.

Around 52 per cent of the 40 lakh-odd residents of Malda are from the minority community. Minorities also comprise around 72 per cent of the 80 lakh residents of Murshidabad.

Mamata, while addressing an administrative review meeting of these two districts here, accused the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of not providing funds to stem the erosion of the Ganga.

“The river has been gobbling up land on both its banks for decades now.... It is a national issue. However, the Centre has not paid a penny even though it was supposed to pay Rs 700 crores to our state (for this). The Farakka Barrage Project Authority does nothing to check erosion. Instead, we have spent (state government) funds and today (Thursday) again, we are allocating Rs 50 crores for anti-erosion jobs,” said the Bengal chief minister.

In Malda, around four blocks, mostly with residents of the minority community, are acutely affected by the erosion caused by the Ganga in its left bank. Also, on its right bank, there are around 10 blocks in Murshidabad district where erosion has been reported.

“Over the past couple of years, the situation is the worst in the Samserganj area (in Malda). The river is consistently eroding away land and no steps have been taken by the Centre,” said a source in the district administration.

In course of the meeting, Mamata took stock of the situation of both districts with regard to the implementation of various social welfare schemes.

She then asked the elected representatives to speak, who did so, holding forth on demands ranging from bus terminuses, fire stations and irrigation facilities for their localities.

“Unlike earlier meetings where such representatives have been reprimanded by her for seeking infrastructure projects when the state’s funds crunch has forced an austerity drive, she approved the demands one after another, instantly arranging funds from various sources. This (generosity) is significant,” said a source in the administration.

In Malda and Murshidabad districts, there are 34 Assembly seats out of which Trinamul won 28 seats at the 2021 polls. Earlier in 2019, Trinamul bagged two of the five Lok Sabha seats in these districts. Two other seats went to Congress while the BJP secured one seat.

“Now the rural elections are ahead and Trinamul is desperate to retain its support base, keeping in mind next year’s Lok Sabha elections. The recent win of a Congress candidate in a bypoll at Sagardighi (Murshidabad) has put the party on alert as there had been a division in minority votes. That is why, it seems, the chief minister was lenient in approving demands of local infrastructure made by elected representatives,” said an observer.

On Friday, Mamata will visit Samserganj in Murshidabad, the home turf of Bayron Biswas, the left-backed Congress candidate who won the Sagardighi seat.

“She will distribute ‘patta’ (land rights) to people and may visit some of the erosion-affected areas,” said a source.

At the review meeting on Thursday, Mamata time and again referred to the erosion issue and also asked the administration to draw up plans to check erosion and rehabilitate the erosion victims.

“Many erosion-affected villages are minority-dominated areas. The chief minister allotted money to check erosion and announced initiatives that the state government will take to address the issue and for the victims of erosion. But the Centre is keeping silent on the issue. We believe that this is an effective strategy (by the Trinamul supremo) to score over the BJP and other rival parties in both these districts in the coming elections,” said a Trinamul functionary based in Murshidabad.