The youth here go to other states to seek employment. This is pathetic. Gandhi launched her campaign in the state with a rally at Kharagpur, and followed it up with meetings in Burdwan, Ranaghat and Srirampore, all in the state's central districts. All the meetings witnessed large turnouts despite inclement weather. She also dwelt on the Left Front government's economic policies, saying the state's industrial scenario was bleak and many factories were on the verge of closure or had already shut shop.
Unemployment is on the rise.
The announcement evoked a thunderous round of applause. Banerjee, who broke away from the Congress Party in 1997, also spoke at the four meetings. Gandhi's whirlwind poll campaign in West Bengal is serving as a soothing balm for the bruised alliance her Congress Party has with the Trinamool, with coalition leaders trying hard to put up a picture of unity at rally podiums. Her two-day visit to the state that began Thursday has infused new vigor into the alliance's electioneering, after a lot of bad blood between the two parties over seat sharing. The sight of Gandhi and Banerjee standing hand in hand on platforms along with other leaders of both parties is said to be providing the required fillip to the opposition campaign.