The Trinamool Congress on Monday published a separate manifesto for the Madarihat Assembly constituency, promising a new road overbridge at Birpara, two underpasses that would act as elephant corridors, a community hall for Gorkhas and a new police station, among other things.

Along with five other Assembly constituencies in Bengal, the by-election will be held in Madarihat on November 13.

The manifesto was published by the Alipurduar district TMC president, Prakash Chik Baraik, along with other leaders.

“Unlike the BJP which makes empty promises, we will fulfil all promises in our manifesto. Madarihat is an important Assembly seat in the central Dooars and our party is determined to take up infrastructure projects for the people who live here,” said Baraik, who is also a Rajya Sabha member.

The manifesto referred to frequent incidents of elephant depredation — the Jaldapara National Park and some other reserve forests are in the Madarihat Assembly segment — and promised new elephant corridors.

“We will construct an underpass on NH31 near the Torsha river bridge to connect the Titi forest and Jaldapara. Another elephant corridor will be built to connect the Titi forest and Bharnobari. These will help elephants and other wild animals move from one place to another without straying into the neighbouring villages,” said Baraik.

Trinamool also promised a road overbridge at the railway level crossing in Birpara near the Dalgaon railway station. Every day, thousands of people living in and around Birpara face traffic congestion because of the level-crossing which is frequently closed for the movement of trains.

“The state government will build the overbridge to meet the longstanding demand of the residents of Birpara,” he added.

A new police station in Gayerkata, a rural hospital in Binnaguri, and a college in Madarihat were among the other promises in the manifesto.

“All we need is one-and-a-half years and people can witness the development,” said the district TMC chief.

Trinamool doesn't have a single MLA in the Alipurduar district. Alipurduar MLA Suman Kanjilal, who won on a BJP ticket in 2021, switched to the TMC. But he is officially considered as a BJP MLA.

The district has five Assembly seats.

Political observers pointed out that a separate manifesto for an Assembly seat ahead of the bypoll hints at the desperation of the TMC to wrest the Madarihast seat from the BJP.

“In 2021, out of the six seats of the state where the byelection would be held, Madarihat was the sole seat that the BJP had won. The TMC is confident of retaining the remaining five seats and wants this seat as well. The BJP, on the other hand, don't want to lose the seat,” said an observer.