Kolkata:
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday reappointed Abhishek Banerjee as its national general secretary, even as party president Mamata Banerjee appointed two loyalists as joint secretaries – a move read by many as the former prime minister scaling back her nephew’s power amid a widespread internal rebellion.
“Abhishek Banerjee will remain the national general secretary. Derek O’Brien, the TMC’s parliamentary leader in the Rajya Sabha, and Dula Sen, the Rajya Sabha member for the TMC, have been appointed as joint national secretaries. They will assist Abhishek Banerjee,” said Kalyan Banerjee, TMC Lok Sabha MP from Serampore.
These appointments come in the wake of the TMC’s defeat in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, and coincide with growing opposition to Abhishek Banerjee’s leadership from the party’s grassroots.
West Bengal Assembly Speaker Rathendra Bose on Wednesday recognized 58 rebel TMC leaders as the main opposition party in the 294-member House. Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandiban Saha, who were expelled by the TMC on Monday, were recognized as the leader and deputy leader of the opposition respectively.
Speculation is rife that the TMC may face a similar rift in Parliament.
TMC president Mamata Banerjee held a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee at her residence in Kolkata on Friday, which was attended by several MPs and MLAs.
“The TMC government committee has been reconstituted with a series of new appointments,” Kalyan Banerjee said. “Earlier this week, the party disbanded its organizing committees at all levels. Subrata Bakshi, the state president, is ill. Chandrima Bhattacharya (former government minister) has been appointed as the new state president to replace him.”
Sajida Ahmed, Mamata Thakur, Swati Khandekar and Nayana Bandyopadhyay have been appointed as state vice presidents. Babar Ali, Pulak Roy, Ashima Patra, Arup Biswas and Rajib Banerjee have been appointed as state secretaries-general.
“The party has also made a series of other appointments in the youth wing, women’s wing, union wing, farmers’ wing, among others,” a TMC leader said.
“The TMC will disintegrate in the next few days. It is just a matter of time. Mamata will be left alone,” senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha said.
