Shillong, Dec. 13 (PTI): Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday sounded the poll bugle in Meghalaya, seeking votes for her party for empowering women, uplifting the youth, and upholding the culture of the state.
Claiming that the citizens of the northeastern state are being governed from New Delhi or Guwahati, Banerjee who is also the West Bengal chief minister said that her party wants to assist the people of Meghalaya to ensure that the state is ruled by sons of the soil.
Banerjee is on a visit to Meghalaya where Assembly polls are due early next year.
She addressed a TMC workers' convention here to boost their morale, besides attending a pre-Christmas celebration programme during the day.
Alleging that the BJP government at the Centre has neglected Meghalaya and other northeastern states, she also distributed Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in clashes in Mukhroh village along the Assam-Meghalaya border last month.
"Guided by our progressive vision, we promise to empower the women, uplift the youth, and uphold the vibrant culture. We promise to bring a credible change for the people of Meghalaya," she said at the party workers' convention.
Claiming that Meghalaya is being ruled by proxy, Banerjee said it is not the intention of the TMC to capture power in the state and rule from Kolkata.
"Why are they ruling from Guwahati or Delhi? We assure the people of the hill state that (a) son of the soil will rule Meghalaya, and not any outsider... We will ensure that we bring change and the hill state prospers... Let us walk together on the path of progress; why divide people based on caste and religion?" she said.
The TMC supremo also promised a financial inclusion scheme under which a direct transfer of Rs 1,000 per month will be made to woman in every household of Meghalaya, similar to that of West Bengal's Lakhsmir Bhandar' scheme.
She also talked about other women-centric schemes launched by the West Bengal government.
"Women in Meghalaya have suffered enough. While the state government neglects them, we aim to empower them," she said.
Banerjee attacked the BJP and its ally NPP in Meghalaya for "failing to provide" jobs to the next of kin of the victims of Mukroh violence besides providing them compensation.
She said, "Five people were killed in Mukroh. There has been no response from the state government. The Meghalaya CM did not even bother to meet the victims' family members."
Violence had broken out at Mukroh village near the disputed border between Assam and Meghalaya in November after a truck allegedly laden with illegally felled timber was intercepted by forest guards from Assam.
"Today, I met the families of the victims of the tragic Mukroh firing. It was my duty to stand by them in their time of grief," she said.
Six people - five tribal villagers from Meghalaya and a forest guard from Assam - were killed in the clashes.
The TMC is now Meghalaya's main opposition party in its 60-member assembly by virtue of the defection of 12 of the 17 Congress MLAs, including former chief minister Mukul Sangma in November last year.
However, one of the 12 resigned from the assembly and also from the party last month.
Mukul Sangma said, "In a remarkably short span of time, Meghalaya TMC has become a formidable political force in the state. We have not only taken our vision and mission to the last mile but we have also been the voice of the masses."
Accompanied by TMC national general secretary and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata Banerjee reached here on Monday.
The two leaders also attended a pre-Christmas event organised by the party at a resort.
The TMC chairperson lit the Christmas tree and cut the celebratory cake bearing the TMC's election symbol.
"My love and best wishes to all the children, they are the asset and the future of our country," she said while handing out gifts to the children.
Meghalaya is one of the northeastern states where the TMC is trying to make inroads. The TMC is also trying to make its presence felt in Tripura and Assam. The party had also contested the assembly election in Manipur in 2012.
While Meghalaya is being governed by a coalition of NPP, BJP and others, the saffron party-headed groupings are ruling Assam and Tripura.