West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday extended her gratitude to the state's citizens and Trinamool Congress (TMC) party workers, thanking them on the party's 'Foundation Day'. As Trinamool turns 23, party chief Mamata stands on a tumultuous crossroads, more so than ever, as West Bengal steers headway into assembly polls later this year, amid a deeply divisive discourse.
In two successive tweets posted on TMC Foundation Day, Mamata thanked everyone who have been at her side in this "immense struggle" and vowed to up the ante against the opposition ahead of the polls.
"As Trinamool turns 23 today, I look back at the journey we began on January 1st, 1998," Mamata wrote in the first tweet, "Our years have been of immense struggle, but throughout this time we have continued to achieve our objective of being committed to the cause of only the people."
She also expressed her confidence in the fact that "The Trinamool family" will continue to fight "in making Bengal better and stronger each day."
"On #TMCFoundationDay, I extend my sincere gratitude to our Maa-Mati-Manush and all our workers who continue to fight with us in making Bengal better and stronger each day. The Trinamool family will carry on with this resolve for times to come!" she added, in the second tweet.
Meanwhile, at the party's Kolkata office, 'Trinamool Bhavan' on Topsia Road, the 23rd Foundation Day was celebrated with much gusto and fervour.
Subrata Bakshi, the national General Secretary of the All India Trinamool Congress, raised the party's flag in the morning. TMC's Rajya Sabha MPs, Derek O'Brien and Santanu Sen, were also present at the event.
Following the flag-raising ceremony, Bakshi said, "We aren't anxious about the results of the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly Election, although the polls are significant. We have descended upon the quest to protect the Constitution, united with the people of Bengal. Our leader was, is, and always will be Mamata Banerjee."
He added, "There is currently a nationwide attempt to undermine the Constitution. The very existence of our party is a testament to oppose that attempt."
Even as the assembly polls inch closer, the conflict between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling TMC grows more vicious with each passing day, especially in light of the recent defections of a few veteran leaders to the saffron party.
However, TMC is ambitious enough to catapult its events into sending a message from the saffron camp, as citizens await the date of the polls to decide the state's future.
