Mamata may resume campaigning from Nadia in support of Mahua, outreach to Matuas

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, who had stopped campaigning after she fell at her residence on March 14 evening and sustained an injury on her forehead which necessitated stitches, is likely to return to the poll trail soon.

Party insiders said that she has almost recovered and is expected to restart her campaigning on March 31 by addressing a rally at Dhubulia in Nadia district for Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency candidate, Mahua Moitra.

Though Krishnanagar is slated to go to polls in the fourth phase of the elections on May 13, Trinamool leaders say it was chosen to mark Mamata Banerjee's return to campaigning as a substantial portion of its voters hail from the backward-class Matua community, who are refugees from Bangladesh settled in different pockets of West Bengal.

Since the Central government notified the implementation of the CAA, Matuas have been leaning towards the BJP, and Mamata Banerjee, in all probability, is re-beginning her campaign schedule there to reach out to the community.

Another reason why the Chief Minister is focussing on Krishnanagar is that ensuring the victory of Mahua Moitra, who was expelled from the Lok Sabha in connection with the cash-for-query case, has been taken as a prestige fight by her.

BJP has fielded Amrita Roy, a member of the erstwhile Krishnanagar royal family, thus making the contest tougher for Moitra considering the sentiment of the local population towards the royal family.

Party insiders said that during the rally on March 31, the Chief Minister is expected to devote a major part of her address to describing Moitra’s expulsion from the Parliament as a "reflection of vindictive politics pursued by BJP against Trinamool Congress".