Trinamool gears up for Martyrs' Day rally on July 21 after poll success, Akhilesh to attend

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress, fresh from its victory in the Lok Sabha polls, is gearing up for its Martyrs' Day rally on Sunday, aiming to highlight its role in strengthening nationwide opposition unity and countering the BJP in West Bengal.

According to TMC sources, the party leadership, which is part of the national opposition alliance I.N.D.I.A. bloc, is expected to outline its strategy for the national stage.

Abhishek Banerjee, TMC's national general secretary, is slated to join the rally after a brief hiatus due to medical reasons.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will also take part in the rally, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh posted on X.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Martyrs' Day rally would commemorate the TMC's electoral victories in the state.

"Tomorrow marks another 21st July! This day holds deep significance in Bengal's history. On this day in 1993, the repressive CPI(M) regime brutally took the lives of 13 of our comrades. It remains a poignant milestone for us, celebrated annually as part of Bengal's public ethos. We honor these martyrs with love and respect, along with all who sacrificed their lives for our nation and humanity," she posted on X.

"We also observe this day as 'Ma-Mati-Manush Divas,' dedicating our democratic victories to the people of West Bengal. I invite all Bengalis to join us at Esplanade tomorrow for this Martyrs' Day-cum-'Ma-Mati-Manush Divas' event. Your participation will enrich our collective homage to the martyrs," she added.

Additionally, the party leadership intends to address issues within its municipal bodies during the rally.

According to TMC sources, former BJP leader and TMC turncoat Sovan Chatterjee along with his friend Baisakhi Bandopadhyay who had quit the saffron camp during the 2021 Assembly polls over differences with the state BJP leadership are likely to rejoin the party at the rally.

"There are expectations of new entrants, particularly from the BJP. Our leader will articulate the party's policies and provide direction both nationally and within the state," a senior TMC leader said.

Despite its failure to expand nationally and losing its national party status, the TMC has remained the dominant political force in Bengal, with a resurgence in the 2023 rural polls and in this year's Lok Sabha elections, which were conducted under the supervision of central forces amid allegations of violence.

"After a challenging year with arrests of leaders, our victory in the Lok Sabha polls brought solace, culminating in a successful journey since last year's July 21 rally," another TMC leader said.

Meanwhile, the party is also likely to launch a brand new song, 'Trinamoolkei Chai', on the occasion, TMC state general secretary (IT & Social Media Wing) Nilanjan Das posted on X.

The TMC's winning streak continued with a decisive victory in the West Bengal assembly bypolls, reclaiming Raiganj, Bagda, and Ranaghat Dakshin, and securing a record margin in Maniktala.

These results have buoyed the party following its performance in the Lok Sabha polls where it increased its seat count to 29 from 22 in 2019.

The bypoll outcomes were a setback for the BJP, which saw its parliamentary seats reduced to 12 from 18 in 2019.

The TMC observes Martyrs' Day annually on July 21 to commemorate the killing of 13 people in police firing during a Youth Congress rally against the Left Front government in 1993, when Mamata Banerjee was the state's Youth Congress president. Despite forming her own party in 1998, Banerjee has continued this tradition.