“They are the family members of the martyrs,” Banerjee said at the Gokulnagar High school, “I have asked my district leadership to find a suitable candidate”. Coming down heavily on the ruling party, Banerjee said the CPM and the Maoists “are the same”.

“I dare them to ban the Maoist organisations,” she said. “The so-called Maoists are active in West Midnapur, Bankura and Purulia. The Trinamool has won no seat in these districts, how does the CPM always win? The CPM has entered a secret deal with such outfits and is using them.”

By-elections in Nandigram are to be held in December, as legislator Muhammed Illias had to resign recently after charges of bribery.

Banerjee also announced that she has instructed the district leadership to provide help to the family members of those killed and missing.

“I have given my district leaders three months time to help these people. They should be provided houses under Indira Bikas Yojana and help through other such programmes. I will inspect the progress personally. We should not forget the martyrs,” Banerjee said.

Alleging that the CPM-led state government is not allowing TMC-led East Midnapur Zilla Parishad to undertake development works, she said the dates for by-elections have not been announced. But district administration is not allowing any big development project. “The district administration is deliberately not allowing us to work for the people,” she said.

Regarding Sunday’s CPM rally in Nandigram, she said Trinamool is ready to combat them politically. “But if they use force anything can happen. I will urge the CPM and the state government not to play with fire and not repeat the mistakes of Nandigram and Singur again.”