Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will visit three districts — West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura — for three days starting Wednesday to reach out to the people in a zone where her party is comparatively weak.

Sources in the Trinamul Congress said Mamata during her visit would try to send out a message on how her government was continuing with several public-benefit schemes despite being deprived of grants by the BJP-led central government.

The sources added that her visit to districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura was very significant as she would leave on her trip soon after the state budget was presented in the Assembly on Wednesday.

“She will leave shortly after the state budget is presented. She will explain to the people how her government is fighting against all odds to continue schemes to benefit the poor,” a Trinamul leader said.

“This time we expect that our government will present another pro-people budget despite the lack of central funds. Our chief minister had repeatedly said her government will continue the government schemes including the construction of rural roads and rural housing schemes. We hope, there this will be reflected in this year’s budget. This makes her trip to the BJP stronghold significant,” said a senior Trinamul leader in Calcutta.

Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya is likely to table the state budget for this fiscal on Wednesday afternoon.

According to her itinerary, Mamata will leave for West Midnapore on Wednesday afternoon and attend a public benefit distribution on Thursday followed by a similar programme in Purulia town. She will reach Bankura on Thursday afternoon and attend a public distribution programme there on Friday.

Sources said the Trinamul has planned a special focus on four Jungle Mahal districts — West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia — where the BJP had been able to strengthen its organisation since the panchayat polls 2018.

At a time when Trinamul won more than 50 per cent of seats uncontested, the BJP captured around 60 gram panchayats in that region, especially in Purulia and Bankura.

The BJP won five out of six Lok Sabha seats in 2019, with leads in 31 of the 40 Assembly segments, in that region which has several schedule caste and tribal-dominated pockets.

But the saffron camp could not hold on to its performance in the 2021 Assembly polls when it won only 16 of the 40 seats in in that region.

However, in Purulia and Bankura BJP won six and eight Assembly seats out of nine and 12, respectively.