Five stages, LED screens, 300 volunteers at Mamata's mega rally

Kolkata, Jan 17 (IANS) Five massive stages with the iconic Victoria Memorial in the backdrop, hundreds of workers busy building barricades and setting up LED screens and scores of Trinamool Congress flags fluttering all around -- the sprawling venue Brigade Parade Ground bustled with activity on Thursday, two days before West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's mega rally.

To accommodate political leaders, delegates and celebrities at the January 19 rally, the five stages being built include one main dais at the middle where Banerjee as also her nephew Abhishek Banerjee would be present alongside the leaders of a number of anti-BJP parties who are scheduled to attend the rally from across the country.

Trinamool Congress leaders, MPs and MLAs, delegates and celebrities from the state will occupy the rest of the stages, a party leader said.

"The venue will be divided into 22 zones to manage the massive gathering. In each zone, a deputy commissioner-rank officer of Kolkata Police will be present to monitor the security arrangements. Along with the police, 3,000 party volunteers will also be present at the meeting to man the crowd," he said.

"We are expecting a historic gathering. We are happy with the security arrangements made by the state administration," the leader said.

According to the decorators, 1,000 mikes and 20 LED screens will be put up at the venue to enable those standing afar to see and hear the leaders.