Kolkata, March 27 (IANS): Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Sunday officially kicked off her party's campaign for the April-May West Bengal assembly elections with a mammoth padyatra (procession on foot) in south Kolkata.

Banerjee, along with Leader of Opposition Partha Chatterjee and Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee, led the procession comprising several Trinamool leaders and thousands of party supporters through the assembly constituencies of Behala East and Behala West.

"As the West Bengal higher secondary examination is going on, our leader Mamata Banerjee decided to conduct the padyatra which will be free of noise pollution so that students don't get disturbed," said a Trinamool Congress leader.

Trinamool Congress supporters carrying party flags and posters and shouting slogans "Maa Mati Manush Zindabad" and "Mamata Banerjee Zindabad" thronged the Behala area to join the procession.

After Banerjee announced the party's list of candidates, Trinamool Congress candidates across the state had started canvassing in their respective constituencies, but with Banerjee sounding the campaign gong for the assembly polls, the political heat is bound to soar.