KOLKATA: Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee’s attempt to revive her party received a jolt from her own government after the newly set up grievance cell wing refused to share its office space with the election strategist Prashant Kishor’s team members.
A team of eight members from Kishor’s Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC) on Wednesday, last week, visited the grievance cell which was set up by Mamata to redress complaints and told the state government officials that they wanted to set up a temporary office there.
But the government officials of the wing reportedly objected saying a private agency cannot be allowed to operate from a government office.
“A private company and a government’s wing can only work together if a memorandum of understanding (MoU) is signed between the two agencies. How can we allow Kishor’s team to work at our office?’’ asked an official of the grievance cell.
The official said Kishor’s team wanted to see how the officers of the cell were working on the complaints referred by the IPAC after receiving it from the people.
The grievance cell was set up in June after Mamata criticised her own party leaders on cut money issue and instructed to open the wing that functions under the chief minister’s office (CMO).
IPAC’s office already received more than 3.5 lakh complaints since Mamata’s Didi Ke Bolo initiative was launched.
Meanwhile, Trinamool MLAs and leaders are facing a tough time while implementing Mamata’s initiative on the ground as people are constantly questioning them on cut money, arrogance and misbehaviour by the party leaders.
Dharna to protest taxation of Durga puja
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Sunday criticised the Centre for issuing income tax notices to several Durga Puja committees here, saying festivals should be exempt from levies.
She said that TMC would sit on a dharna in here on August 13 in protest against the move of the BJP government at the Centre.