NEW DELHI: Is it Mamata Banerjee versus her nephew Abhishek in the Trinamool Congress? Well, there does seem to be hints of an infighting in the party – if one goes by the open war of words between their loyalists.
On the 27th Foundation Day of the party – the generational fight among its leaders came to the fore as the old guard targeted Mamata’s nephew drawing a sharp retort from his young loyalists.
It all started with TMC state president Subrata Bakshi, a 73-year-old party old timer and known for his loyalty to Mamata Banerjee, openly expressing the hope that Abhishek, a parliamentarian from Diamond Harbour, will fight the Lok Sabha election due later this year.
“Abhishek Banerjee is our national general secretary. We are sure that he will not back away from contesting the coming Lok Sabha election. If he fights, he will fight under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and the party symbol,” Bakshi said.
Bakshi’s remarks drew a sharp retort from Abhishek’s loyalists.
TMC’s state general secretary Kunal Ghosh, who is close to Abhishek Banerjee, demanded that Bakshi retract his words.
“I respect the state president, but I have objections to his use of words. It was not desirable. Abhishek is in the reckoning. If the party listens to what he (Abhishek) wants to say, it is good for it,” Kunal Ghosh said.
“Abhishek Banerjee is a party leader and words with negative connotations are not only humiliating but also demoralizing for our workers,” Ghosh added.
Senior TMC leaders Firhad Hakim and Sudip Bandopadhyay, both close to Mamata Banerjee, added fuel to the fire.
Bandopadhyay, who has been in the party for years, remarked “Once the party supremo demits office as Bengal chief minister, the state will go haywire.”
Hakim, a minister and Kolkata’s mayor, emphasised that new leaders of the party should learn about the history of TMC’s struggle. “It took us years to win the trust of the people and politically reach the place where we are today.”
Kunal Ghosh countered Hakim’s remarks and questioned the role of senior leaders during Mamata Banerjee’s fight and loss in Nandigram in the 2021 assembly poll.
“The seniors are lecturing that youth leaders should know the history of the party. What were they doing when our leader Mamata Banerjee fought and lost in Nandigram?” Ghosh said. In Nandigram, Mamata Banerjee had lost to her one-time protege Suvendu Adhikari, who is now in the BJP and is the leader of the opposition.
Ghosh had earlier said “The senior leaders should know where to stop. If they continue to hold on to their positions for years, then what will the young leaders do? They will feel frustrated.”
The old guards versus new generation debate, which has been grappling the TMC for quite some time, took centrestage with Mamata Banerjee last month calling for respect for senior members, dismissing assertions that veteran leaders should retire from politics.
Following the CM’s dictum, Abhishek Banerjee, however, said there must be a retirement age in politics, citing a decline in work efficiency with advancing age.
Several sitting MPs, ministers, and senior leaders in the Trinamool Congress are over 70 and hold multiple posts.
The senior leaders in the party, most of whom are loyal to Mamata Banerjee, don’t find merit in the age debate. They feel it is the Trinamool chief who will decide the utility of the leaders.
TMC’s Lok Sabha party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay said, “Mamata Banerjee is the party supremo… her decision is final. If she thinks someone is old enough to retire, he or she will retire. If she thinks otherwise, that person would continue working for the party.”
Seventy-four-year-old Bandopadhyay, a veteran in West Bengal politics, felt the debate was “childish” as the party needs both youngsters and senior members.
Echoing his sentiments, senior party leader Saugata Roy said, “Age is not a barrier within the party. The ultimate decision on roles of seniors and the next generation rests with Mamata Banerjee.”
“Only she decides who will contest elections or be in which position in the party. She is the final authority,” the 76-year-old politician said.
The debate unfortunately comes at a time when the Trinamool Congress faces a tough challenge from the opposition in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The CPM is already predicting the end of the ruling party.
CPM Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate of Calcutta high court, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, took a dig at the infighting and said “just as in a gang of dacoits internal war breaks out over the share of the loot, similarly there will be an internal tussle within the Trinamool Congress over the share of proceeds of different scams in the state.”
“This happens when a party runs without any basic policy or ideology. This infighting will take murkier shape in the days to come and there the process of the beginning of the end will start,” Bhattacharya added.
Clearly, Mamata Banerjee needs to put an end to this debate before it is too late. She faces an aggressive BJP with Union home minister Amit Shah openly setting a target of 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had surprised Mamata by winning 18 seats in the state. If the internal differences continue to divide the Trinamool Congress, Mamata will find it difficult to stop the BJP’s march. The Trinamool chief is known to be a strong leader who has fought several political opponents and has survived many challenges. However, it remains to be seen how she handles her nephew and this crisis.
(With inputs from agencies)
On the 27th Foundation Day of the party – the generational fight among its leaders came to the fore as the old guard targeted Mamata’s nephew drawing a sharp retort from his young loyalists.
It all started with TMC state president Subrata Bakshi, a 73-year-old party old timer and known for his loyalty to Mamata Banerjee, openly expressing the hope that Abhishek, a parliamentarian from Diamond Harbour, will fight the Lok Sabha election due later this year.
“Abhishek Banerjee is our national general secretary. We are sure that he will not back away from contesting the coming Lok Sabha election. If he fights, he will fight under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and the party symbol,” Bakshi said.
Bakshi’s remarks drew a sharp retort from Abhishek’s loyalists.
TMC’s state general secretary Kunal Ghosh, who is close to Abhishek Banerjee, demanded that Bakshi retract his words.
“I respect the state president, but I have objections to his use of words. It was not desirable. Abhishek is in the reckoning. If the party listens to what he (Abhishek) wants to say, it is good for it,” Kunal Ghosh said.
“Abhishek Banerjee is a party leader and words with negative connotations are not only humiliating but also demoralizing for our workers,” Ghosh added.
Senior TMC leaders Firhad Hakim and Sudip Bandopadhyay, both close to Mamata Banerjee, added fuel to the fire.
Bandopadhyay, who has been in the party for years, remarked “Once the party supremo demits office as Bengal chief minister, the state will go haywire.”
Hakim, a minister and Kolkata’s mayor, emphasised that new leaders of the party should learn about the history of TMC’s struggle. “It took us years to win the trust of the people and politically reach the place where we are today.”
Kunal Ghosh countered Hakim’s remarks and questioned the role of senior leaders during Mamata Banerjee’s fight and loss in Nandigram in the 2021 assembly poll.
“The seniors are lecturing that youth leaders should know the history of the party. What were they doing when our leader Mamata Banerjee fought and lost in Nandigram?” Ghosh said. In Nandigram, Mamata Banerjee had lost to her one-time protege Suvendu Adhikari, who is now in the BJP and is the leader of the opposition.
Ghosh had earlier said “The senior leaders should know where to stop. If they continue to hold on to their positions for years, then what will the young leaders do? They will feel frustrated.”
The old guards versus new generation debate, which has been grappling the TMC for quite some time, took centrestage with Mamata Banerjee last month calling for respect for senior members, dismissing assertions that veteran leaders should retire from politics.
Following the CM’s dictum, Abhishek Banerjee, however, said there must be a retirement age in politics, citing a decline in work efficiency with advancing age.
Several sitting MPs, ministers, and senior leaders in the Trinamool Congress are over 70 and hold multiple posts.
The senior leaders in the party, most of whom are loyal to Mamata Banerjee, don’t find merit in the age debate. They feel it is the Trinamool chief who will decide the utility of the leaders.
TMC’s Lok Sabha party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay said, “Mamata Banerjee is the party supremo… her decision is final. If she thinks someone is old enough to retire, he or she will retire. If she thinks otherwise, that person would continue working for the party.”
Seventy-four-year-old Bandopadhyay, a veteran in West Bengal politics, felt the debate was “childish” as the party needs both youngsters and senior members.
Echoing his sentiments, senior party leader Saugata Roy said, “Age is not a barrier within the party. The ultimate decision on roles of seniors and the next generation rests with Mamata Banerjee.”
“Only she decides who will contest elections or be in which position in the party. She is the final authority,” the 76-year-old politician said.
The debate unfortunately comes at a time when the Trinamool Congress faces a tough challenge from the opposition in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The CPM is already predicting the end of the ruling party.
CPM Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate of Calcutta high court, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, took a dig at the infighting and said “just as in a gang of dacoits internal war breaks out over the share of the loot, similarly there will be an internal tussle within the Trinamool Congress over the share of proceeds of different scams in the state.”
“This happens when a party runs without any basic policy or ideology. This infighting will take murkier shape in the days to come and there the process of the beginning of the end will start,” Bhattacharya added.
Clearly, Mamata Banerjee needs to put an end to this debate before it is too late. She faces an aggressive BJP with Union home minister Amit Shah openly setting a target of 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had surprised Mamata by winning 18 seats in the state. If the internal differences continue to divide the Trinamool Congress, Mamata will find it difficult to stop the BJP’s march. The Trinamool chief is known to be a strong leader who has fought several political opponents and has survived many challenges. However, it remains to be seen how she handles her nephew and this crisis.
(With inputs from agencies)
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