'Durga' Mamata Banerjee's poster says, her party will all 42 of the Lok Sabha seats
If the larger than life size posters across Kolkata are anything to go by, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has pulled all stops to send out a message that she is ready for take-off and carve out a bigger role in Delhi politics. Taking the microphone, she welcomed the leaders and requested her supporters to patiently listen to speakers of all the parties.
On Twitter, the Trinamool Congress put out glimpses of rallies and the posters taken out across West Bengal. Summarizing her achievements and schemes for all sections of the people, one of the posters showed her as goddess Durga with ten hands. 42/42 said a crown-like cutout on Didi's head, indicating her party will sweep the Lok Sabha polls by winning all 42 seats of the state.
The five hands on her left, just like Durga's five weapons, had cutouts that read Kanyashree, Shikhyashree, Shabuj Shathi, Shishu Shathi and Gatidhara. The other five hands on the left had Yuvashree, Rupashree, Gitanjali, Khadya Sathi and Manabik. All of these are names of several ongoing schemes in the state.
Under Kanyashree, girls less than 18 and from economically backward families are eligible for cash benefits. The Shikhyashree is a scholarship scheme for SC/ST students in Classes 5 to 8. Sabooj Sathi is a scheme that gives bicycles to students in Classes 9 to 12. Shishu Saathi, a flagship healthcare programme of Ms Banerjee, was flagged off in August, to provide free paediatric cardiac surgery to 3,000 children each year. Gatidhara is aimed to motivate unemployed youth by offering loans to buy commercial vehicles that can generate income. Rupashree is a one-time grant of Rs. 25,000, given to underprivileged girls above 18 for marriage purposes. Gitanjali is the state government's housing scheme for economically poorer sections. Khadya Sathi is for the poor, who get rice and wheat at Rs 2 per kg and Manabik is a scheme for the physically challenged.
Finally at the foot of the giant poster, is a cutout that says, today's rally of unity at Brigade Parade Ground, with a logo of Trinamool Congress in the centre, is the "future of the country".
Another large poster taken out at Chakdah in Nadia district, shows Mamata Banerjee, with folded hands, at India Gate in Delhi. With the tricolor atop of the poster, it reads "Chalo paltai. Let's go to Delhi now".