With time, breakaway Trinamool faction distancing itself from Mamata legacy

New Delhi, (IANS): With every passing day and supplementary claims of being the “real” Trinamool Congress coming from separate factions, Mamata Banerjee’s face as the leading light appears to be fading among rebel bloc members

Even as the Trinamool Congress began disintegrating after an adverse mandate in the West Bengal Assembly election this year, it appeared the larger ire of the rebels was aimed at party General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. His aunt and founder-Chairperson Mamata Banerjee was, meanwhile, intermittently being hailed as “leader” and even suggested as an “advisor” to the breakaway group.

The “Kalighat faction” – named after the party’s official headquarters at Mamata’s residence – obviously stoutly swears by her name. Most of the disgruntled members, including Ritabrata Banerjee – seen as one of the key faces in the dissident MLAs camp – significantly claimed early last month that they would like Mamata as an “advisor”.

Even party veteran Arup Roy, who was named Trinamool Chairperson at a special session convened by the party’s rebel bloc on June 22, has also said at times that Mamata is the leader, and that the party was founded by her in 1998. So did iterate some of the party MPs who have since announced their merger with the till-then little-known National Citizen Party of India (NCPI).

However, speaking to the media in Delhi on Thursday, Ritabrata said that in the June 22 special session, a new working committee was formed, where neither Mamata nor her nephew has found a place. Ritabrata said this in Delhi after coming out of a meeting with the Election Commission’s full bench with a team of his colleagues. The current Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly shared that they had sought time earlier from the poll body to inform them about their working committee.

Both factions have sought recognition from the Election Commission as the All India Trinamool Congress and the right to use the election symbol of twin florets.

Ritabrata further contended that despite being named Trinamool – which means grassroots in Bengali – the party had turned into a family affair. Adding that they intend to get the party back to its grassroots level, he claimed that the fight is against “individuals and families”.

Soon after, without naming Abhishek, he sarcastically remarked that the party was being run on the words of a chartered bureaucrat. It is believed his statement was aimed at Abhishek's recent travel in a chartered plane. However, while such sentiments of the rebels were known from their earlier iterations, the rebel camp’s current reluctance in accepting Mamata’s presence among them seemed reflected in a subsequent exchange on Thursday afternoon.

When asked about the former Chief Minister and party founder, Ritabrata clearly stated, “Our party’s Chairman is a multiple-time MLA, three-time minister in West Bengal (former) cabinet, and veteran political leader Arup Roy,” ending with an emphatic “Loud and clear!” statement, implying an end to the issue.

Meanwhile, Arup Roy, standing beside Ritabrata during the briefing, did not say anything.

Later, a leader known for his proximity to the Arup Roy-led bloc shared that earlier there was a feeling within a section that it would make political sense for the rebels to keep Mamata’s name afloat, rather than totally shunning her. However, it was also asserted that it would never translate into an official position for her; and thus evolved the “advisor” lexicon among some.

He also pointed out that some members further emphasised that Mamata may in future be held responsible for the various scams and illegalities allegedly involving Trinamool leaders during her regime. As the party supremo and the then Chief Minister, she can not be absolved from her responsibilities to rein in colleagues reported to be involved in wrongdoings under her watch.

It would now appear that the rebel camp is consciously trying to maintain a distance from not only the “Kalighat family” but also the Trinamool founder herself.