'Only one power centre in TMC & that is Mamata'
KOLKATA: Putting all speculations regarding apparent power struggle within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to rest, party's national general-secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said during a television interview that there was only one centre in his party. "There is only one centre in TMC and that is Mamata Banerjee," Abhishek said. His statement comes days after party chairperson Mamata Banerjee had asked all leaders of TMC to put up a united fight against the BJP.
Abhishek's statement gains significance in the backdrop of allegations of differences simmering between the generation next and party's old guards. Earlier, controversy was triggered after party's MP Kalyan Banerjee had stated that he didn't consider anyone else as his leader except Mamata Banerjee. Elaborating on the trend of politics practiced in India, Abhishek said: "In the private sector, people retire by the age of 50-55 years. We must also adopt this western culture. In Indian politics, leaders often turn a new leaf in their political career at the age when people in the private sector retire. At 60, they join politics. This must change….I am not saying this in the context of Bengal, but with respect to India…You can't think of a new tomorrow with yesterday's ideas…"
Meanwhile, commenting on the candidate's list for civic polls, Abhishek said there were minor problems, which had been ironed out. Referring to the Diamond Harbour model, he said: "It is the term given by the media. I thank the people of Diamond Harbour who never went out without two masks. The number of Covid cases went down drastically. When the first wave came, we had started Kalpataru initiative, where nearly three lakh people of Diamond Harbour were fed and then people did not raise the question of Diamond Harbour Model as then I was the Trinamool Youth Congress president. Now, the media is raising the issue as I am the national general-secretary."
Asked whether he intervenes in the functioning of the state government, he said: "I do not go to any government function like the business meet or international film festival or even during the swearing-in ceremony. I want to work for the organisation and I am not the government." Asked about his alleged involvement in illegal coal mining and cattle smuggling cases, he said: "If any of the charges are proved, I will hang myself. CISF guard the coal mines and BSF guard the border. Both the departments are headed by Amit Shah. So he should be pulled up." Banerjee said over the years, the style of functioning of political parties has changed and both the Left and Congress had missed it.
