"The elections are ahead and we will have to ensure the win of our candidates in all panchayats, panchayat samities and zilla parishad. Not a single seat should go to the parties in opposition," said Sourav Chakraborty, the Jalpaiguri district Trinamul president. In 2013, Trinamul had failed to secure majority in most rural bodies, particularly in the zilla parishad. The Left had secured the Zilla Parishad but later, like some other districts, Trinamul managed to gain control by engineering defections. The Centre and the BJP had promised to work for tea workers but did nothing.

Source: The Telegraph February 25, 2018 20:26 UTC