Dynasty politics within the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has aggrieved many local leaders of the party who are raising uncomfortable questions for CM and party president Mamata Banerjee.
Other than celebrities, who are green horns in politics, Mamata has also nominated relatives of ministers, MPs and also a defector from the Left Front. This has led to a strong reaction among Trinamool workers in some districts who are refusing to campaign.
The prominent among them is Abhisekh Banerjee, nephew of Mamata, whom she has nominated from Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency. This seat was earlier held by Somen Mitra, who resigned in January and returned to the Congress. Mitra, being a former state Congress chief had won this seat in 2009 by a margin of more than 1, 50,000 votes. Considered a tough seat with substantial number of Muslim voters, nominating her 27-year old nephew, who does not have much political experience, has angered many local leaders and workers in South 24 Parganas.
Sensing the pulse of aggrieved Trinamool workers, Mamata, while introducing Abhisekh at a workers’ meeting, said: “He was not born with a golden spoon. He is young and hard working. That is why I have sent him among you to learn. Please help him and ensure his victory.” Many Trinamool Congress workers contested Mamata’s claim: “I have no family and after the demise of my mother the people of Bengal are my family members.”
Mamata, herself recently crticised dynasty politics within the Congress and during an interview to a TV channel lost her temper when asked about Abhisekh’s nomination. “First go and ask Sonia Gandhi on this issue,” was her reply.
Trinamool Congress workers in Bardhaman district are also unhappy with the party’s nominees. In Bardhama-Durgapur LS seat the party has nominated Mumtaz Sanghamitra, wife of state Animal Husbandry Minister, Nure Alam Chowdhury. Party workers are angry that local leaders who had for decades combated the onslaught of the CPI(M) have been deprived and instead a “Kolkata based person was given the ticket.” Another nomination in the same district from Bardhaman-Purba LS constituency has led to a virtual revolt within the party. Mamata nominated Sunil Mondal, a former Left inclined Forward Bloc leader.
Trinamool Congress nominee, Pratima Naskar, from Joynagar LS constituency in South 24 Parganas district till recently was a state civil servant, which she gave up in a bid to retain power in the family, as her father Chandra Naskar, sitting party MP from Bongaon (SC) was denied ticket on grounds of old-age. To quell the revolt, Mamata is deputing state ministers and confidantes to tour and hold meetings at ground level.
