Kolkata, May 2: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee will address a crucial virtual meeting with the party’s counting agents on Saturday, just 48 hours before the significant counting of votes for the recently concluded two-phase assembly elections.
Insiders from the Trinamool Congress have indicated that the virtual meeting is expected to provide last-minute instructions regarding the procedures to be followed from 8 AM on May 4, when counting begins, until the end of the process, which includes handing over victory certificates to the elected candidates.
Prior to the virtual meeting on Saturday, Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee held an extensive face-to-face meeting behind closed doors on Friday night. However, details regarding the topics discussed in this important meeting have not been disclosed.
A senior leader of the Trinamool Congress, speaking on the condition of anonymity, mentioned, “Initially, it was decided that only our party’s General Secretary would address the virtual meeting on Saturday. However, we later learned that the Chief Minister would also be present and address the counting officials.”
On April 30, the Chief Minister shared several suggestions for the party’s counting agents through a video message on social media. She urged them to maintain high morale and to stay at the counting center until the end of the counting on May 4.
In her video message, she stated, “Stay at the counting center until I hold a press conference after the counting is over. If you need to temporarily leave for the restroom or food, appoint someone reliable to take your place beforehand. Only trustworthy individuals who cannot be bought should be appointed in your stead.”
She also appealed to the Trinamool Congress not to be disheartened by various exit poll predictions, most of which have forecasted an end to the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and the beginning of governance by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).