Besieged by rebellions first by the newly elected MLAs and followed by growing murmurs of an imminent split among her MPs Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, in a desperate bid to keep
Besieged by rebellions — first by the newly elected MLAs and followed by growing murmurs of an imminent split among her MPs — Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, in a desperate bid to keep her flock together, on Friday 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.
The announcement was made after the national working committee meeting of the party, which, according to sources, was attended by a handful of leaders at the TMC chief’s Kalighat residence in Kolkata.
The reshuffle comes two days after 60 of the newly elected 80 TMC MLAs defied Mamata Banerjee and party number two Abhishek Banerjee to choose expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.
The name of Firhad Hakim, one of the TMC’s most recognisable minority faces and among party chief Mamata Banerjee's longest-serving lieutenants, is missing from the list. Hakim’s omission came hours after he stepped down as Kolkata Mayor, saying he “cannot continue occupying the chair and disrespect its dignity”. The development is likely to trigger fresh speculation about his equation with the leadership at a time when the party is navigating its most turbulent phase.
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”.
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. The state unit’s executive members will include Jyotipriyo Mullick, Rana Chatterjee, Bidesh Bose, Trinankur Bhattacharjee, Jaya Dutta, Tapas Chatterjee, Vasundhara Goswamy and Goutam Deb.
Among the frontal organisations, actor-turned MP Sayoni Ghosh has been retained as president of Trinamool Youth Congress, while Mala Roy has been appointed president of the party’s women wing. According to the TMC sources, more names will be added later to this list.
The party’s restructuring was announced a day after Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said while the party may be “safe” in the Upper House, the same could not be said of the Lok Sabha. “I have never seen around 60 MLAs leave in such a short span of time. What I am saying is that a similar reaction is likely in the Lok Sabha too.”
A senior TMC MP said, “A break in the parliamentary party is now just a matter of time. Already, we have heard that around 20 MPs are in contact with the BJP. This number will increase.”
Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata. Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects. Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010. Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India. ... Read More
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 dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More