Kolkata, Mar 25 (PTI) Ahead of the panchayat elections, expected to be held sometime this year, and the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, the TMC on Saturday names 20 of its leaders as national spokespersons

The party, in a release, also announced the formation of a 40-member panel of state spokespersons who will issue statements and responses on various issues.

Also Read | Security Breach at PM Narendra Modi's Roadshow in Karnataka as Man Tries To Run Towards Convoy, Detained (Watch Video).

The list of national spokespersons includes senior leaders Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev, Derek O'Brien, Mahua Moitra and Saket Gokhale.

Among the state spokespersons are ministers Birbaha Hansda, Manas Bhuniya and Partha Bhowmik.

Also Read | Goa: Russian Tourist Assaulted With Intention To Rob by Hotel Staffers in Morjim, Arrested.

Notably, Kunal Ghosh, Jay Prakash Majumdar and Santanu Sen have also been retained in the state list.

A TMC leader said that the announcement was prompted by the need to counter "propaganda" against the ruling party by the combined opposition of BJP, CPI(M) and the Congress on issues such as the SSC scam and the cattle smuggling case.

"People are with us. They have faith in the social welfare initiatives of the Mamata Banerjee government and the upcoming panchayat polls will prove that. But we need to project our endeavour and affirm our commitment to the people," he said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)