Mamata's triumph amid turmoil; TMC overcomes hurdles to dominate Bengal in 2024

Kolkata: Despite the political and administrative backlashes from the Sandeshkhali fiasco and RG Kar hospital incident, the Trinamool Congress managed to retain its dominance over West Bengal, achieving a decisive victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and sweeping the subsequent bypolls in the state.

That success, though, failed to iron out the controversies, scandals and internal struggles within the party, putting state Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee's leadership to some arduous test during the course of the year.

Conversely, the BJP had to lick its wounds from defections and electoral setbacks during the year gone by.

The TMC registered an impressive jump in its seat count in the parliamentary polls, bagging 29 of the 42 seats from West Bengal, up from 22 in the 2019 edition.

The BJP, on the other hand, which had emerged as the prime challenger to the state's ruling dispensation in the 2019 general elections, suffered a drastic decline in its tally, dropping from 18 to 12 seats.

The victory further solidified Mamata Banerjee's political footing, especially amid the clamour for her to lead the opposition INDIA alliance, a coalition formed to challenge the BJP at the national level but one which is virtually headed by the Congress.

A key constituent of the INDIA alliance, the TMC's aspirations to lead the coalition was strengthened by the Congress's drubbing in the Haryana and Maharashtra polls.

Mamata Banerjee's dissatisfaction with the alliance's modus operandi and her growing ambitions to assume a leadership role triggered fervent speculations in political circles amid various INDIA alliance leaders offering support for her.

"In 2025, we hope to play a key role in the INDIA alliance as the chorus grows louder for Mamata Banerjee to head it," said TMC MP Sougata Roy, underscoring the party's national aspirations.

TMC's electoral success was, however, undermined by several scandals and controversies that dominated Bengal's political landscape in 2024.

Among the more significant ones was the Sandeshkhali incident, which sparked public outcry.

The controversy began in January when Enforcement Directorate officers were allegedly attacked by supporters of local TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh during a raid in Sandeshkhali bordering the Sunderbans delta in North 24 Parganas district.

The incident was further compounded by serious allegations against Sheikh, including charges of land grab and sexual abuse of local women, pushing the TMC to its back foot.

The subsequent suspension of Sheikh from the party, his arrest by the state police and the eventual filing of charge sheet against him by the CBI, however, left little impact on the EVM machine with the TMC posting a comprehensive win in the Basirhat seat, of which Sandeshkhali is a part, despite BJP fielding Rekha Patra, an alleged victim in the hands of the discredited leader. Soon after, the party was struggling yet again to handle public outrage in the wake of the tragic rape and murder of a young medic at the RG Kar Hospital on August 9. The incident sparked one of the largest civil movements in the state in recent memory, with citizens from all walks of life demanding justice for the victim.

The protests quickly gained momentum, culminating in a 50-day agitation by junior doctors who went on a hunger strike until October 24, when they met Mamata Banerjee to resolve their concerns.

The incident also posed significant challenges for the state in allaying doubts and apprehensions over the functioning of the health department, also headed by Banerjee.

In her effort to repair the visible cracks within the party on account of the so-called 'internal strife' between veteran leaders and their younger counterparts, Banerjee stepped in to restore balance.

She formed multi-layered disciplinary committees, comprising trusted loyalists and thrust additional responsibilities on her nephew and party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, highlighting the party's reliance on experienced leaders to guide its strategic direction.

Despite these challenges, Mamata Banerjee's leadership appeared resilient.

The TMC not only swept the bypolls held in July and November, but also snatched crucial seats such Raiganj, Bagda, and Madarihat from the BJP, further expanding its influence in the state assembly.

By the end of the year, the TMC had cemented its grip on state power by increasing its tally to 217 in the 294-member state assembly.

The BJP story in 2024, however, seemed one of desperation to retain a foothold in the state with internal divisions and a leadership vacuum cornering the party.

In particular, the BJP failed to overcome the challenges posed by its overt dependence on central leadership and its rhetoric on issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which alienated a significant section of voters, political observers felt.

Internal rebellions, defections and disgruntlement among party cadres, further exacerbated the BJP's difficulties in the state.

"We hope to make a turnaround in 2025. It is the BJP that is fighting against the misrule of the TMC in Bengal," said BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya, while acknowledging the party's setbacks in the 2024 elections.

The Congress and CPI(M)-led Left Front achieved little to assert their relevance in Bengal's politics. The Congress party, led by its new Pradesh Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar, performed dismally in the recent bypolls, losing deposits in all six contested seats.