Mamata announces major rejig in TMC ahead of 2021 Bengal polls

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) conducted a major organisational reshuffle on Thursday with an eye on the 2021 Assembly elections. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo, Mamata Banerjee removed most of the presidents of districts where her party lagged behind BJP in the last Lok Sabha elections. The reshuffle was announced after she held virtual meeting with TMC leaders.

The district president of Howrah, Arup Roy has been removed. Roy was replaced by former cricketer turned politician Laxmi Ratan Shukla. BJP was steadily gaining ground in the Howrah zone.

Forest Minister Rajib Banerjee, who has lately been vocal about the alleged corrupt practices by a section of party leaders, has been made the party’s coordinator in the district.

The district leadership in Cooch Behar, where TMC was trounced by BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, has also been changed. North Bengal Development Minister Rabindra Nath Ghosh has been removed as district president and replaced by MLA Partha Pratim Roy.

Minister Santiram Mahato has been removed as the district president of Purulia. TMC performed poorly in the district in the last Lok Sabha elections. People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA) leader Chatradhar Mahato has been made a district committee member.

A new 21 member State Coordination Committee has been formed by the TMC supremo.

“The State Coordination Committee will have 21 members and shall be the nodal authority for organisational and party affairs, and will be responsible for overall supervision, guidance, management and coordination with all the district units,” stated a release by TMC.

According to TMC sources, Mamata conducted the organisational reshuffle seeking to regain lost ground from BJP. She also sought to iron out faction feud in the party to strengthen its party ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections.