Trouble in TMC? Veteran leaders take swipe at Abhishek Banerjee as differences resurface in party

The controversy reflects a two-year-old internal struggle within Trinamool Congress between the old guard and its next generation.

Kolkata: Statements made by Trinamool Congress leaders have revived the senior-versus-junior debate, the party has been subjected to in the past.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, on Monday, took exception to remarks made by a veteran party leader about Abhishek Banerjee - party’s national general secretary and MP.

In the process, Ghosh slammed those leaders who were in-charge of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee’s election campaign in Nandigram, where she lost to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari in the 2021 Assembly elections.

Speaking on the party’s foundation day, TMC state president Subrata Bakshi said that if Abhishek Banerjee contests the upcoming election, he will not back out from the fight, and if he fights, he will do so under Mamata’s leadership and party’s symbol.

Ghosh, reacting to Bakshi’s comments, wondered why Banerjee would back out, and considered the statement as inappropriate. He added that Abhishek’s fight is for strengthening Mamata and the party. He also pointed out several campaigns Abhishek has carried out in the past.

Ghosh instead questioned those leaders who were responsible for Mamata’s campaign in Nandigram constituency, where she – despite being the sitting CM – was defeated by BJP’s Adhikari.

Ghosh added that a few of the senior TMC leaders should take a stand on how they should appropriately respond in a straightforward way to Adhikari’s statements concerning Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee.

Comments made by two other TMC leaders were also critically dealt with by the party’s spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Abhishek visited Mamata’s residence on Monday evening.