Partha’s arrest benefits Abhishek most in TMC

Speculation rife about reshuffle in Cabinet, party organisation

With the arrest and subsequent sacking of one of the most powerful Trinamul Congress leaders, Partha Chatterjee, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, the TMC’S national general secretary, has finally emerged as the primary power centre in the party.

After the fall of Partha Chatterjee, till then Banerjee’s closest aide, a significant section of the party has started to rally around Abhishek Banerjee. While Mamata Banerjee had receded into the background, Abhishek was not only spearheading negotiations with the victims of the SSC scam but emerged as the public face of the TMC. Sources said under pressure from her nephew, Mamata Banerjee could go in for a reshuffle in the Cabinet and the party organisation.

While speculation is rife that Abhishek Banerjee may get a “bigger role”, the TMC may now adhere to the Abhishek line of “one person one post”. It may be recalled that former minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested for alleged money-laundering, was also the TMC’S secretary-general.

Over the past few years, there is a simmering power struggle going on between the aunt and the nephew. Sources said Abhishek was putting pressure on his aunt to “get rid” of the old guard, and Partha Chatterjee was one of them. TMC sources revealed that Mamata Banerjee had overruled her nephew. “Partha’s fall has delivered a body blow to Didi,” the TMC leader said.

“Since Partha was the closest to Mamata Banerjee, it is now somewhat difficult for her to feign ignorance about his activities,” he claimed. With her receding into the background after Partha Chatterjee’s arrest, who she had apparently regarded as the “Sam Pitroda of Bengal”, Abhishek has merged as the “ultimate crisis manager”, the TMC leader added. Abhishek’s rise may now cast a shadow over the party old guard.