Mamata to play land acquisition trump card in civic polls

Kolkata, June 17 In the upcoming civic elections in the state, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee will again play her trump card of anti-land acquisition that brought her success in the panchayat polls. Incidentally, now her party will have to woo the urban voters, who are pro-industrialisation.

Mamata visited East Midnapore on Tuesday to discuss the strategy for civic polls and nominate leaders of two Zilla Parishad boards in the district.

Sisir Adhikary, district Trinamool leader, said: "Nearly 80 per cent of the urban population own land in rural areas or are attached to land. Hence, forcible land acquisition is a major issue in the towns. Our party chief has clarified that we will not abandon the issue in the civic polls, as forcible farmland acquisition is different from land acquisition for industries."

Mamata said that she was not against industrialisation but against forcible acquisition of fertile land.

"People have accepted our stand on the issue not only in Nandigram but also in semi-urban areas in districts on the fringes of Kolkata," said Suvendu Adhikary, TMC leader in East Midnapore.