Bengal: TMC's Minority Outreach Wing Gets A Makeover After Sagardighi Bypoll Loss; Mamata To Head State's Minority Affairs

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has made changes to the TMC party's Muslim outreach programme, with the removal of Md Ghulam Rabbani from the state's Minority Affairs Department.

This decision was made during a Cabinet meeting on Monday and is part of ongoing tweaks since the TMC's defeat in the Sagardighi Assembly bypoll.

Rabbani will now assume responsibility for the Horticulture Department.

The government has announced the formation of individual development boards for migrant labour and minorities. The Minority Development Board and Migrant Labour Development Board will replace the existing finance corporation for minorities, according to a senior Cabinet Minister.

Rabbani was the minister for Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education, but now, as per the reports, the CM will personally oversee the department.

Tajmul Hossain, the current Minister of State for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises and Textile, will serve as MoS for the Minority Affairs Department.

After losing the Sagardighi bypoll, Banerjee revised the public image of her party's minority outreach wing by replacing Haroa MLA Haji Nurul Islam with Itahar MLA Mosaraf Hossain as the president of TMC's West Bengal minority cell.

According to the reports, following Rabbani's removal, a senior TMC leader revealed that the Chief Minister was keen to regain the trust of the Muslim community and had retained the Minority Affairs department.

Additionally, the fact that both Rabbani and Hossain were from Uttar Dinajpur district influenced the decision to replace the former with the latter.

In response to the Sagardighi loss, a senior Cabinet member revealed that the creation of these boards is an attempt to regain the trust of minorities who have become disengaged from the TMC.

The migrant labour population in Sagardighi is also a key concern, as many did not vote for the ruling party. The TMC is working to win back this demographic, which they believe constitutes a significant portion of the lost vote in the area.

The government will establish a database of migrant laborers and review their demands, as stated by a spokesperson. The Migrant Labour Development Board will be responsible for this task. Originally planned after the pandemic, the proposal was neglected, but Sagardighi has now accelerated the decision.