A day after Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee announced that during her seven-day trip to the United Kingdom, “the party (TMC) affairs will be looked after by Subrata Bakshi and Abhishek Banerjee”, a large number of yellow posters and flags, displaying text “Odhinayak Abhishek (Captain Abhishek)”, were seen in numerous places in Kolkata on Friday morning.
CM Banerjee on Thursday said that a five-member task force comprising ministers and top-level officers would oversee the state’s daily affairs while she is away from the country.
According to TMC leaders, the ‘growing differences’ between Mamata Banerjee and her nephew and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee seems to have “narrowed” after a few months, prompting her to entrust him with responsibility as the party’s second-in-command during her absence.
“Those who are close to Abhishek Banerjee, particularly the youth wing of the party think, it’s a comeback of sorts for Abhishek Banerjee and he was again given his “captain” post. So, they are celebrating with such posters,” said a senior TMC leader.
After putting up a good show in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the TMC faced a major challenge in the wake of the RG Kar rape and murder case and the widespread public protests. There were also instances when Abhishek Banerjee took a different stance from that of the West Bengal administration on some issues. This led to speculation that were was ‘growing distance’ between Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee.
Amid the widening rift between the old and new guard within the ruling party in the state, Mamata in December last year hinted that she remains the final authority in the administrative as well as organisational affairs in the TMC dispensation.
In the recently concluded winter session of the state Assembly, Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with the TMC MLAs where, sources said, she clarified: “Aami doler chairperson, aami shesh katha (I’m the party chairperson, I’m the last word).”
This is borne out by a series of developments in the state. Mamata removed state CID chief R Rajasekaran, shifting him to the post of ADG (IGP Training).
In another move, without naming Abhishek and political consultancy firm I-PAC, CM Mamata told her party legislators: “Someone from an organisation may call you, ask about your constituency but there is no need for you to give information – whatever you want to share, give it to me.”
IPAC is the political consultancy firm employed by TMC in the 2021 Assembly polls and later.
Last year on November 25 TMC national executive committee meeting was held at Mamata’s residence in Kolkata’s Kalighat, following which her loyalists were elevated. The party supremo inducted veteran party leaders – including MPs Kalyan Banerjee, Mala Roy, Sougata Roy; Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee; and ministers Manas Bhuiyan, Firhad Hakim and Javed Khan – as members of TMC Working Committee.
Mamata Banerjee had appointed Abhishek as one of the national spokespersons for the TMC, while also clarifying that senior leaders such as Sudip Banerjee, Kalyan Banerjee, and Derek O’Brien will be responsible for making decisions related to the party’s parliamentary affairs.
However, the bond between Mamata and Abhishek has improved significantly since last month after the CM held a one hour meeting with I-PAC head Pratik Jain at Nabanna.
Following the meeting, she addressed an organizational meeting on February 27, where Abhishek also spoke, emphasising their united front against BJP in the 2026 Assembly Election.
Abhishek also recently held a separate virtual meeting to address the “fake voter card” issue, where he provided instructions to party leaders.
A senior TMC leader said, “We got hints during Netaji Indoor meeting and Abhishek’s meeting on voter card that the two leaders are coming closer. Now, Mamata Banerjee’s announcement has made it clear that, Abhishek has again become number two of the party.”
Meanwhile, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said, “People of Bengal are least interested in who becomes the leader in a corrupted party. If the TMC wants, they can field two different candidates in every constituency, one supported by aunt and one by nephew.”