Mamata hints restructuring party’s student and youth wings

Kolkata: Reaffirming her position as the final decision-maker, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hinted at possible restructuring in the organisation of her party’s student and youth wings.

On the first day of the Budget session, Banerjee held a meeting with her party MLAs inside the Assembly and asked them to submit their recommendations on changes in the party’s students and youth wings within 15 days to senior party leader and state power minister Aroop Biswas.

All the MLAs have been asked to send three names each to Biswas by February 25.

Meanwhile, the party’s national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee had hinted at some organisational changes within the party, underscoring a focus on accountability within the party.

Abhishek had signalled some changes at the district level. Those whose performance has fallen short may soon be reshuffled.

With its eyes firmly set on the 2026 Assembly elections, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) aims to further strengthen its organisations in those areas where the party did not get expected results in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Despite securing 29 Lok Sabha seats and running the state government for the third term, TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as well as party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, consistently warned party members of strict action against corruption and anti-party activities.

The party may also give an emphasis on restrengthening the party’s organisation in North Bengal where TMC in 2024 made strong inroads into the BJP’s turf by defeating then Union minister Nitish Pramanik in Cooch Behar Lok Sabha seat.

In recent polls in the Raiganj Assembly seat, the BJP candidate lost to the TMC by a substantial margin.