Mamata Banerjee has asked the Trinamool Congress leaders to go back to the basics to get back to the winning ways. Rolling out a list of “dos and don’ts” for the party workers the Chief Minister has asked them to bolster connect with the masses, reduce dependency on the police administration, stop internal bickering, follow a simple lifestyle, and complete the pending government projects.

In a meeting with party leaders the TMC supremo on Friday said that they will have to “reduce your dependence on the police administration and bolster your contact with the masses instead.”

When the TMC started its journey after breaking away from the Congress in 1998 “we solely depended on public support that came from relentless political movements and there was no police to back us. We will have to go back to what we did before coming to power,” Banerjee told party leaders.

In a curious development, the Friday’s meeting was closely observed by election strategist Prashant Kishore with whom the TMC has reportedly struck a deal for the 2021 Assembly elections. Kishore reportedly watched the proceedings from a corner and would not utter a single suggestion.

“There are reports that one of the main causes for the reverses we suffered in the elections was arrogance of the leaders which definitely came from loss of connect with the masses and most importantly infighting,” Banerjee reportedly told in the meeting directing the leaders “in no uncertain terms such conduct will not be allowed. You must stop infighting, go back to the people and do their work.”

For the first time since her party roared to power with a thumping majority in 2011 the TMC suffered massive reverses at the hands of the BJP in the recently concluded parliamentary elections when the ruling party won 22 seats while the BJP which traditionally enjoyed anywhere between 4 and 8 percent votes got 18 seats. The remaining two seats went to the Congress.

Banerjee also directed her party men to complete the pending government projects and “go back to the people not as leaders but as their well-wishers.” She said “make a list of incomplete projects like bridges, roads, drains, water supply etc and complete them.”

Telling the party men that no infighting would be tolerated in the party the Chief Minister also asked the leaders to approach the TMC old timers who had been sidelined or who were sitting idle so as to bring them back to the main stream.

“Watch out for those local leaders who have been sidelined or who have out of disgruntlement sitting out and bring them back to the manifold and enlist their services, the Chief Minister said.