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TMC removes Sudip Banerjee from organisational role after rebel move, Manas Bhuiyan resigns
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TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has appointed loyalists to key positions in an effort to stabilise the party (File photo)Shortly after news broke that Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Banerjee joined the rebel faction, he was Saturday removed from his organisational position within the party. He previously served as the party president for the North Kolkata organisational district. Sougata Roy, who remains loyal to party supremo Mamata Banerjee, was appointed as an advisor to the TMC parliamentary party. Not only that, former irrigation minister Manas Ranjan Bhuiyan resigned from TMC primary membership. He was a senior TMC member close to Mamata Banerjee.According to TMC sources, Sudip Banerjee has been replaced by Kunal Ghosh as the party president for North Kolkata. Also, Sayoni Ghosh, a rebel leader and MP representing the Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency, has been succeeded by Arnab Banerjee in the TMC youth organisation. Sayoni Ghosh is one of the twenty TMC MPs who joined a rebel faction of the party led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. In the just-concluded Assembly election, Bhuiyan fought from the Sabang seat of West Midnapore but lost. Nineteen members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) have signed a letter addressed to Speaker Om Birla. This rebel faction, which includes two-thirds of the party’s strength, is positioned to bypass the anti-defection law. They have stated that they will not join the BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) but will support it instead. Sources indicate that Sudip Banerjee is expected to join the rebel bloc, increasing their number to twenty. Earlier, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, in a desperate bid to keep her flock together, announced a major organisational reshuffle in the party, packing it with loyalists and old-timers. While Mamata has retained nephew Abhishek Banerjee as the party’s national general secretary despite widespread criticism, she has appointed two joint national secretaries – Rajya Sabha MPs Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen – to assist him, signalling to the rebels that the decision will be taken jointly and not unilaterally by Abhishek. Now veteran leader Sougata Roy has been included as an advisor to the parliamentary party. The first reshuffle comes two days after 60 of the newly elected 80 TMC MLAs defied Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee to choose expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. Within minutes of it, TMC leadership dissolved all the party committees and frontal organisations and, in a statement, said it would carry out a “comprehensive exercise of introspection, performance review and organisational assessment at every level”.Story continues below this ad The party has also reconstituted its West Bengal unit by replacing incumbent state chief Subrata Bakshi with former minister and Mamata loyalist Chandrima Bhattacharya. Bakshi, on the other hand, has been appointed vice-president in the party’s National Working Committee. Also, Sajda Ahmed, Mamata Thakur, Nayana Bandyopadhyay, and Swati Khandekar have been appointed state vice presidents, while Aroop Biswas, Rajib Banerjee, Babar Ali, Pulak Roy, and Ashima Patra have been appointed as state general secretaries. Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedica
Raut told reporters in Mumbai that Congress needs to become stronger and leaders who had formed separate parties after leaving it should rethink their position in the present political situation. (Express Archive)A day after Congress leader Nana Patole claimed that Sharad Pawar had proposed the merger of his party with his, and leaders from the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) denied the claim, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday said leaders who left Congress in the past should make efforts to “come together”. Raut told reporters in Mumbai that Congress needs to become stronger and leaders who had formed separate parties after leaving it should rethink their position in the present political situation.“The Congress has to become stronger. Leaders who came out of the Congress and built their own parties, whether Sharad Pawar, KCR, or Mamata Banerjee, should understand the situation in the country. If we want to fight those in power at the Centre, everyone will have to come together,” Raut said. Raut urged Sharad Pawar to take the lead in making such an effort. “If Sharad Pawar takes the initiative and helps build a stronger Congress, parties like ours will also become stronger,” said the Sena (UBT) leader. Raut’s remarks came a day after Patole, the former Maharashtra Congress president, said Pawar had sent a merger proposal to his party leadership, but the process did not move forward. However, NCP (SP) state president Shashikant Shinde denied any such proposal was discussed in the party. Asked about Raut’s statement, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, Pawar’s daughter, said, “Sanjay Raut speaks openly on issues related to the country. In a democracy, everyone has the right to express an opinion. He is like an elder brother to me. We will take note of the suggestions he has given.” Responding to the comments, senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil said the Congress was a “sinking ship” and claimed leaders would continue moving towards the BJP instead.Story continues below this ad BJP minister Girish Mahajan said if such a merger happens, it may help create a stronger Opposition in Maharashtra. “If Rahul Gandhi and Sharad Pawar come together, they may work well. There should be a strong opposition. Right now there is hardly any opposition left in the state,” he said.
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