The Trinamul leadership has decided to hold at least 500 Vijaya Sammelanis (traditional get-togethers after Durga Puja) across Bengal before Diwali this year to consolidate its organisation ahead of panchayat polls scheduled for early next year.

Under the plan, the party will hold at least one such festive get-together in each of the 341 blocks and 128 municipal towns in all Bengal districts in presence of senior leaders who would give a political outline to those working for the party at the grassroots.

The get-togethers will be held between October 11 and 22. Bengalis consider the gap between Durga Puja and Kali Puja as a time for Vijaya greetings.

Vijaya Sammelanis have been an integral part of Mamata Banerjee’s politics since she was in Opposition but in Calcutta and major district towns.

This is the first time, a source said, that the party plans to utilise festive get-togethers at micro levels to strengthen ties with an eye on rural polls.

“Earlier such programmes were held in an unorganised way mainly in major towns. This time it is not only about exchanging festive greetings but the approach is more political. The leaders have been asked to invite party workers including those visibly inactive,” said a Trinamul leader.

Trinamul leaders said the state leadership in Calcutta prepared a schedule with dates and places for Vijaya gatherings. District leaders have been told about them and asked to send pictures and videos of those events to Calcutta.

Trinamul insiders said after recent changes in leadership at district and block levels, there have been reports of differences between old and new camps.“It is important to end the rifts between leaders and workers in rural pockets before panchayat polls. Senior district leaders have been asked to attend every gathering in their district and talk to workers to read their pulse,” said a source in Trinamul.

A Trinamul source said the state leadership will pay more notice to Vijaya events in pockets where the BJP is stronger in the terms of organisation, such as Purulia, Bankura and a few districts in north Bengal.

BJP events

The Bengal BJP will also hold such festive gatherings at block levels and a mega event at each district headquarters in presence of the state-level leaders with the same aim as Trinamul.

A BJP leader said their goal is to host Vijaya meets in each block area and wrap them up with mega meets in presence of senior leaders like state president Sukanta Majumdar and leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.