Will Mamata’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee perceived as leading youth brigade of Trinamool Congress Banerjee?
Amidst the celebration of the party’s 27th foundation day internal differences within TMC surdata-faced as its senior leaders took a swipe at the party’s national general secretary abhishek Banerjee, which drew sharp retort from its generation next leaders. The controversy surdata-faced after West bengal Chief minister and TMC leader mamata banerjee advised giving due respect to senior members of the party and refuted the assertion that old leaders should retire from active politics. Following this, her nephew abhishek Banerjee, who is perceived as leading the youth brigade of Trinamool Congress, spoke out for a retirement age in politics citing the decline in work efficiency and productivity with advancing years.Meanwhile it began with TMC state president Subrata Bakshi, a 73 year old party old timer and known for his loyalty to mamata banerjee, openly expressing the hope that Abhishek, a parliamentarian from Diamond Harbour, will fight the lok sabha election due later this year. “Abhishek Banerjee is our national general secretary. We are sure that he will not back away from contesting the coming lok sabha election. If he fights, he will fight under the leadership of mamata banerjee and the party symbol,” Bakshi, who was addressing party workers at the foundation day programme at the TMC headquarters, said. The remark prompted a sharp reaction from TMC’s state general secretary Kunal Ghosh, who is close to abhishek Banerjee. He demanded that Bakshi retract his words.Ghosh said “I respect the state president, but I have objections to his use of words. It was not desirable. abhishek is in the reckoning. If the party listens to what he (Abhishek) wants to say, it is good for it”. Senior TMC leaders Firhad Hakim and Sudip Bandopadhyay, both close to mamata banerjee, added fuel to the debate. Bandopadhyay, who has been the party for years, remarked “Once the party supremo demits office as bengal chief minister, the state will go haywire.” Hakim, a minister and the city’s mayor, emphadata-sized that new leaders of the party should learn the history of TMC’s struggle.