WB-TMC-SURVEY R

TMC to conduct survey to assess support base ahead of
municipal polls
(Eds: Correcting a word in para 10)
    Kolkata, Oct 14 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress
leadership has decided to conduct a survey to assess its
support base and penetration of the BJP in 107 municipalities
of the state and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) that
will go to polls in 2020.
    The elections to civic bodies are being tipped as
"mini assembly elections" ahead of the crucial 2021 assembly
poll in West Bengal.
Speaking to PTI on condition of anonymity, TMC sources
said that the survey would be conducted by the party with the
active help of poll strategist Prashant Kishor and his I-PAC
team.
Following the TMC's dismal performance in the 2019 Lok
Sabha polls, the party had appointed the I-PAC to shore up its
popularity in the state ahead of the 2021 assembly election.
    "The survey would look into various aspects, including
our support base among people, local issues, image of the
councillors, grievances of the locals and penetration of the
BJP in those areas. If everything goes well, the survey is
likely to start from November and by February 2020, we will
have the report," a senior TMC leader said.
    Based on the report, the strategy and selection of
candidates would be conducted for the municipal polls, the
leader said.
    The Trinamool Congress leadership has called a meeting
of ward, block and district committees' presidents on Tuesday.
    West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata
Banerjee, along with senior party functionaries and Prashant
Kishor, will attend the meeting to prepare a draft strategy
for the municipal polls.
    According to party sources, the results of the 107
municipal polls and the KMC, covering nearly 60 per cent of
the state, will act as an indicator of a possible outcome of
the 2021 assembly poll.
    The municipal polls have acquired more importance due
to the BJP making deep inroads in the state and emerging as
the main challenger to the ruling TMC by pushing the Congress
and the Left Front to distant third and fourth position
respectively.
    The BJP in 2019 Parliamentary election bagged 18 out
of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, just four less than
the ruling TMC. The TMC's tally has come down from 34 in 2014
to 22 seats in this election. PTI PNT MM
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)