TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday sought to reclaim political ground in north Bengal by promising a sharp hike in daily wages of tea garden workers, placing labour welfare at the centre of the party's pitch for the 2026 Assembly elections in a tea belt that has largely tilted towards the BJP since 2019. Addressing a rally-cum-interaction with tea garden workers in Alipurduar, Banerjee said that if the TMC returns to power for a fourth consecutive term, the daily wage of tea workers would be raised to Rs 300 after a tripartite meeting involving the state government, garden owners and workers' representatives. "Daily wages of Rs 250 are not enough to run a household given the rise in prices. I give you my word -- within 30 days of the next government being formed, a tripartite meeting will be held, and within seven days of that, the process to ensure Rs 300 daily wages will begin," Banerjee said, responding to questions from workers. The assurance followed .