Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (File)

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday started laying the ground for next year’s Assembly election campaign, urging Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders across the state to counter BJP’s criticism of her government.

At an environment-day programme in South Kolkata, the Chief Minister said, “We should not do politics on this [Covid-19 crisis and Amphan]. On one side, when we are fighting all these then, a political party is playing politics. I am not saying remove Modi from Delhi now. This is not the time.”

In the evening, she met party MLAs, MPs, district presidents and other leaders through a video conference. She instructed them about how the party should counter the saffron party, directed every leader to start door-to-door campaigns, and emphasised the importance of transparency at the grassroots.

“Relief should reach everyone suffering due to the cyclone and lockdown. Don’t look at their political affiliation. Don’t forget that next year you will have to face Assembly elections,” Banerjee told the TMC leaders.

The Chief Minister also told them to make it a point to let people in villages know about the positive steps taken by the state administration, and said “fake news” spread by the BJP should be challenged.

“The Chief Minister today basically ordered all the party leaders to come out on the streets to combat the aggressive campaign of the BJP. She warned that those who don’t participate, very soon those leaders will be replaced by the younger generation,” said a TMC MLA.

According to party sources, Banerjee convened the meeting to prepare the party’s campaign blueprint for the 2021 elections. TMC leaders said she would soon chalk out a thorough online campaign policy to virtually connect with voters.