KOLKATA: For the first time in her political career, Mamata Banerjee delivered a speech at the party's Martyr's Day rally without any adverse reference to CPM and the Left Front.

When she did refer to the Left, Mamata chose to segregate the politics from the ideology. “Without ideology people should not come to politics. I respect the Left ideology. I will ask those who still hold the Left ideology dear not to sell their selves to communal politics. Samprodaik doler dalali korben na (Don't become a broker of a communal party) Come to us. We will work together for a better tomorrow, “was her advice.

Clearly, former ally BJP is now her prime foe, and not without reason. In the recent Lok Sabha polls, not only did BJP snatch the Asansol seat, it was even ahead of Trinamool in Mamata's home turf, the Bhowanipore assembly segment. Having seized the opposition space from the Left, it is now breathing down Trinamool's neck ahead of the civic polls. In a bid to downplay BJP's prospects in Bengal, Mamata said: “The party has just added one MP to the one that already existed.

But the tally won't go up from two to three. On the contrary, it will reduce from two to nil.“ Warning against communal politics she said, “Attempts are being made to stir up a riot. You all should keep an eye on your localities against such attempt. Bengal has no room for communalism.“

The “anti-people“policies of the Modi government at the Centre came next. “The BJP government has hiked petrol price and railway fare and freight within months of coming to power. A movement is building up against such policies that will snowball into a massive stir,“ she said.

However, the saffron surge is not the Trinamool chief’s only worry at the moment. Three years after coming to power, Mamata has another bugbear: her own partymen. She spelled out the dos and don'ts for her partymen, but also warned the Opposition and media not to target her party, which “has risen above party politics to become a people's party“. Mamata took the moral high ground despite the alleged involvement of Trinamool leaders in the Saradha scam or the controversy surrounding her lieutenants Anubrata Mandal, Manirul Islam and Tapas Pal.

“I tell people not to give us money. If required, I will write and paint to raise money for elections. What else will I do? I don't have crores. How else will I get the money to print party posters?“ she asked. But she didn't forget to warn the party ranks against extorting citizens. “Don't do anything bad to the people. Work silently, selflessly in the localities. You need not come and lobby for a party post as Congressmen do.

Don't sell your souls for money. I will find you out. I want downto-earth (mati) men, who work for ma (mother) and manush (people).."

For the next six months, the Trinamool will embark on a membership drive. It began on Monday with Singur martyr Tapasi Malik's mother Molina becoming the first member.

This is being construed as a follow-up of the BJP's membership drive in the state immediately after its success in the Lok Sabha poll.

