KOLKATA: In the upcoming civic polls, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has decided to rely on time-tested names rather than fielding fresh faces purportedly suggested by her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and election strategist Prashant Kishor. "Since Abhishek has emerged as the second-in-command in the party, he and Kishor wanted to engage more young faces but the suggestion was turned down by Mamata Banerjee," said a TMC leader.
Sources in the TMC said that Abhishek wanted to induct new faces as candidates in the election as part of a strategy to prepare the party's next set of leaders. "We are enjoying absolute dominance in the Assembly. It seems, our party will rule the state for at least next one decade and eyeing this, Abhishek gave the suggestion of inducting fresh faces," said another TMC leader.
Polls in Siliguri, Asansol, Chandernagore and Bidhannagar are scheduled on January 22. Siliguri is in north Bengal where the BJP performed impressively in the Assembly polls. The party had won Asansol LS seat in 2019.