The TMC has turned to some well-known faces to deal with this split. This Friday, Mamata Banerjee put forward a broad organisational reset, putting veterans at the centre as she wagers on discipline to get the party through what is being seen as a test of authority in the state.
Why the reshuffle matters now
You can’t miss the sense of urgency. Just on Wednesday, 58 wayward MLAs made a play for the legislature, put their stamp on Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of Opposition and had the Assembly Speaker back them. It was an open display of the kind of fault lines that those in the know say have been there for some time.
For a party like the TMC, which came out of a revolt in 1998 and has always been about Mamata Banerjee’s word, this is a different kind of challenge. It’s a matter of holding onto the reins, making sure the message is one, and not letting people walk away while you’re still in charge of running the state and the cadre.
To some, what we saw on Friday is a way of digging in. “When you are in the middle of your biggest trouble, this is more of a reassertion than a reorganisation,” put it one senior analyst, who says Banerjee is making it known she is going with her most reliable lieutenants.
If you ask an observer, they’ll tell you this is:
– A way for Mamata Banerjee to put her foot down.
– A case for those who have been with the party over new voices.
– An effort to make top-level decisions a group affair.
– A means to put the 58-MLA revolt behind them.
Old guard moves into key posts
There is a change at the top of the state unit. Chandrima Bhattacharya has taken over as West Bengal state president from Subrata Bakshi. Bakshi, who has been an organiser of note since the 90s, has been made vice-president of the national working committee; he asked for a bit less to do given his age and health.
You see the same pattern in the rest of the setup. Command has been given to those with the institutional memory and a record of loyalty, with some of the up-and-coming types left on the sidelines. It’s about putting control in proven hands.
Some of the other arms of the party have been put in the hands of seniors. You have Madan Mitra with the hawkers, Becharam Manna with the farmers, Purnendu Bose with agricultural labourers and Birbaha Hansda looking after the SC-ST cell.
Signals from exclusions and balances
Then there is what isn’t on the list. Firhad Hakim, a long-time right-hand man and a big name in the minority community, was left out even after he put in his papers as Kolkata mayor. In a room full of old-timers, you can make a case for why his name is missing and expect some talk about it.
It is also a way of changing the dynamics at the very top.
Collective control around Abhishek Banerjee
Abhishek Banerjee is still the national general secretary, but he has some new help in the form of Rajya Sabha MPs Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen, who have been made national joint secretaries. Most see it as a way to put in place a system where decisions are made with more input.
In putting these joint secretaries in place, the party is making a point of having a leadership that works together. Those in the know say it’s a deliberate effort to spread out power and make sure things keep running smoothly even when there is some commotion in the ranks.
What the new committees signal
You could call it a recalibration. It comes on the heels of the party calling off all its committees and front organisations in West Bengal, a reset put forward after a get-together at Mamata Banerjee’s home in Kalighat. It was a clear sign of how much they value continuity right now.
This is about being reliable, not reinventing the wheel. They are turning to people you already know to put some order back into communications and mend what has been torn. It’s a move to hold the line, not to try something new.
The front organisations have been put in line with that. Saayoni Ghosh is back as president of the Trinamool Youth Congress, with Madhurima Thakur as her general secretary. Mala Roy will be in charge of the Mahila Trinamool Congress, and Priyanka Adhikary is set to rouse the students with the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad.
When it comes to talking to the public, you can count on a few names: Chandrima Bhattacharya, Kalyan Banerjee, Madan Mitra and Kunal Ghosh. And for the books, Subhasish Chakraborty is the new treasurer, which tells you they are keeping a close eye on their resources.
Here is how the new appointments break down:
– State vice-presidents: Sajda Ahmed, Mamata Thakur, Nayana Bandyopadhyay, Swati Khandekar.
– General secretaries: Babar Ali, Pulak Roy, Ashima Patra, Aroop Biswas, Rajib Banerjee.
– Jyotipriyo Mallick and Goutam Deb are among the executive members.
– Saayoni Ghosh is back as head of the Trinamool Youth Congress.
– The Mahila Trinamool Congress will be run by Mala Roy.
– Priyanka Adhikary is in charge of the Chhatra Parishad.
– Moloy Ghatak for the INTTUC labour side.
– Subhasish Chakraborty as treasurer.
A party under pressure, a leader doubling down
Inside the TMC, the surprise wasn’t so much the changes as how quick they were to come after the break in the legislature. The first time in 28 years the party has had a split, and it has shown where the fault lines are – from who gets to be a candidate to the gulf between the old-timers and the younger ones.
Mamata Banerjee's way in a crunch has always been to centralise and act. Friday’s moves are no different. You have the likes of Chandrima Bhattacharya and Subrata Bakshi being put in key spots; it’s the pattern she follows.
Abhishek is the chair at the top, but with O’Brien and Sen by his side, the feel of things is different. There is a bit of overlap now, and you can expect a more methodical approach going forward.
What comes next for TMC
The plan for the near future is to get the message straight, put the grassroots in order and make sure there are no more breaks. The four spokespersons will be on it, while the rest of the organisation does some damage control with the cadres.
Having the same hands on the tiller for now may ease some of the jitters. But if they want to make up with the younger members who are miffed, it will be up to this new setup to show some fairness once the heat is off.
For the moment, though, Mamata Banerjee is not in the mood to tinker. With a rebellion of this kind on her hands, she is going with what has worked in the past: the loyal old guard to put the house in order and show that the Trinamool Congress is one.
