Forcing the message down the party line as to who the real boss in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is, West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee has taken some administrative decisions, making it loud and clear that her decision will be final in all spheres.
To begin with the CM has reportedly decided to snap her party's ties with the professional election managers India Political Action Committee (I-PAC) of Prashant Kishore, who was imported into the state politics by her nephew Abhishek Banerjee five years ago.
Dealing out an assertive message regarding the party command structure during a meeting of a select few, Banerjee said that she was still in command and that she would continue to remain the final word on the party.
"I am still here. I am the final word (in the party). Connect with the people. Speak less, work more. All the decisions will be taken by Bakshi da (former MP Subrata Bakshi) and I," Banerjee said without uttering the name of Abhishek Banerjee, the party general secretary, who is often seen as the CM's successor to the Bengal masnad.
She stopped short of asserting her dislike for the recent chorus in the party in favour of Abhishek, whom many leaders wanted to be appointed as her deputy.
Saying that no one should share any information with any "Pack" and that the TMC workers were enough to win elections without any outside "package" Banerjee said that "I am not bothered about these PAC-facs. A lot of incorrect information is coming … But I will decide on the information I get … so don't share any information with any Pack."
The CM's statement apparently was aimed at I-PAC, insiders said, adding the election consultants were likely to work in Delhi with another political party and there was "good possibility of TMC leaving Prashant Kishore."
I-PAC was imported to Bengal politics by Abhishek Banerjee after the 2019 General Elections, which saw the TMC's fortunes dwindle to just 20 seats compared to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 18. In fact, it was the junior Banerjee who introduced Kishore to the CM at state secretariat Nabanna. In 2021 Banerjee roared back to power with a thumping majority and much of the credit was given to the poll consultancy firm.
Subsequent to 2021's electoral success the general secretary's office and I-PAC gained in prominence and height, while Abhishek used the election consultants for conduct electoral surveys advertisements and election campaigns sidelining the traditional workers.
It was during this period that a parallel power hierarchy developed with a number of leaders beginning to show allegiance to Abhishek Banerjee with a senior MLA and former minister Humayun Kabir even going to the extent of advising a deputy CM role for him. "No one can continue in a post for whole life … besides there is much pressure on Mamata Did, who is likely to assume bigger role in the national politics in near future … is so it is time appoint Abhishek Banerjee as the deputy chief minister with the port folio of home binistry,"
Kabir said even as the party started to get divided vertically between two blocks: one led by the old-timers like Saugato Roy, Kalyan Banerjee, Sudip Bandopadhyay and Firhad Hakim and the other led by Kabir, Naryan Goswami, Shaukat Molla and others.
Banerjee's decision to wrest back the organisational reins of the party tends to come at this juncture.
As late as on Wednesday the Chief Minister transferred out the State Additional Director General of Criminal Investigation Department Rajshekharan known for his proximity to Abhishek Banerjee to a comparatively less ceremonial post of ADG, Training. He will replace present ADG Training Damyanti Sen.
