Mamata warns against commenting on party’s internal matters in public

Amid apparent rifts within the party lately concerning several issues, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday, held a meeting at her Kalighat residence where she warned of strict action against any member who chooses to comment on party’s internal matters in public.

The TMC chairperson met leaders of the party’s district organisation of West Midnapore and will be holding similar meetings subsequently with leaders of other districts too. Besides the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the meeting was also attended by top rung leaders such as TMC state president Subrata Bakshi, among others.

Even as the media was not briefed in detail on what went inside, TMC leader Manas Bhuniya told the media that the party supremo has warned of strict action against anyone who chooses to express discontent regarding party-related matters outside the party fold.

He said that Mamata clearly called for unity within the party fold and asked its leaders to mend the existing differences. He also added that the district leaders have been asked to add teeth to their campaigns, starting from the block levels, to ensure TMC has a clear edge in the elections over the Opposition parties, especially the BJP which has been making inroads into Midnapore districts.

Sources said that Mamata’s warning has mainly come in the wake of a power tussle between the veterans and the young leaders over who should lead the party in days to come.

Further, sources said that the party’s supremo has also expressed dissatisfaction over the roles played by some of the party’s state-level spokespersons and has suggested replacement based on recommendations from Abhishek and

Subrata Bakshi.