There are strong indications in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) that in view of the ongoing differences between the senior leaders of the party including Mamata Banerjee and I-PAC, its General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee is likely to leave the organisational responsibilities, and continue to work only as the MP of Diamond Harbour.
Banerjee, the All-India General Secretary of the TMC, who is currently campaigning in Goa has said in his close circles that he is going to tweet his announcement on the evening of February 14 or on the next day morning — after the completion of the assembly election in Goa.
Though it is not certain what would be announcement but the decision comes at a time when the TMC’s relation with election strategist Prashant Kishor and his team in I-PAC has touched the rock bottom, and a section of the party insiders are of the opinion that the chief minister’s nephew is trying to put pressure on the Trinamool Congress supremo so that she reconsiders her decision.
A leader close to Abhishek Banerjee on Friday said: “There is no question of counter-pressure politics. It is very natural of Abhishek to think that if he can’t do what he wants to do then there is no point sticking to a post and holding a position rather it would be much better if he leaves the responsibility. In that case he can work with a free mind for the people of Diamond Harbour”.
Though there have been requests from several quarters to reconsider the decision, the Diamond Harbour MP has not shown any signs of retracting.
According to leaders close to Abhishek, the youth leader wants to distance himself from this power politics. “Everyone knows what I have done for the party during the assembly polls and what pressure I have taken. I don’t want to muddle into dirty things like this,” Abhishek said in his close quarters.
The differences came to fore during the publication of the list of candidates by the party where two lists surfaced – one signed by party Secretary General Partha Chatterjee and State Secretary Subrata Bakshi and another list prepared by I-Pac had the support and patronage of Abhishek.
Though Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the list prepared by Chatterjee and Bakshi was the official list but in many municipalities, Abhishek overruled the chief minister’s decision and gave nominations to the candidates approved by Prashant Kishor and I-Pac.
The situation went to that extent when both Chatterjee and Bakshi told the chief minister that it would be better for them to get distanced from active politics than taking instructions from Camac Street (the office of Abhishek Banerjee).
Mamata Banerjee was also very unhappy with the situation and gave indications to terminate ties with I-Pac.
She had expressed her reservations on certain comments made by Abhishek recently, and on the other hand, Abhishek Banerjee felt that the party chairperson was giving more preference to ‘outsiders’ than her own people.
The difference is a result of a communication gap which a section of the party leaders believe that the problem can only be sorted out if chief minister Mamata Banerjee and All-India General Secretary sit face-to-face for discussion but till Friday no such development was in the offing.