Mamata Banerjee has called senior party leaders and chiefs of zilla parishads from across the state to Calcutta on May 5 for a meeting, which Trinamul sources said was a preparation for the panchayat elections next year.

“All senior party leaders, including district presidents and chiefs of zilla parishads, have been asked to attend the meeting... The meeting on May 5 afternoon will be held at the new rented party office, off EM Bypass, which the chief minister will officially inaugurate on May 3,” said a source.

Sources in Trinamul said the list of participants for the meeting indicate that Mamata has decided to launch the preparations for the panchayat polls, which can be considered the “semifinals” before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“Didi wants us to prepare for the panchayat polls properly... She will take stock of the situation and give us guidance for the rural polls,” said a source in the party.

Against the backdrop of several lawandorder issues in the state and corruption charges against party leaders, Mamata, a source said, was keen on identifying the weaknesses in Trinamul’s organisation ahead of panchayat polls. “These weaknesses have to be fixed within a year,” said a source.

Some sources in the ruling party said that the district leaders have been told that the chief minister doesn’t want a rerun of the 2018 panchayat polls with allegations like Opposition candidates being forced to leave the fray and voters intimidated on polling day.

In districts like Birbhum, East Burdwan and Hooghly, around 7080 per cent of all three-tier local bodies were won by Trinamul unopposed.

“The party’s internal assessment showed that malpractices in panchayat polls led to a backlash against us and that’s why the BJP won 18 out of 42 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. This time, the party won’t allow such ram¬pant vitiation of the poll process,” said a source.

“The political challenge for Trinamul is violencefree panchayat polls. Allegations of violence after Assembly polls and during civic polls had raised questions about the party’s image. If the same situation prevails during panchayat polls, it would create havoc for Trinamul before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” said political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty.

Sources said Trinamul is likely to open a new party office in Kalighat near Mamata’s residence for panchayat poll work.

The party has already asked its district leaders to direct the chiefs and deputy chiefs of gram panchayats, chiefs of panchayat samitis and zilla parishads to prepare a database of people who had applied for government benefit schemes but whose applications were declined for some reasons. “The attempt is to include them as beneficiaries," said a source.

The May 3 meeting will also focus on hosting a fortnightlong celebration of Trinamul’s 11th anniversary in power, starting May 5.

“Over a hundred big projects like roads, bridges and other infrastructure work will be inaugurated by the chief minister,” said a source.

Each of the districts have been asked to make at least five big projects ready for inauguration by the chief minister, said a source.