Is Trinamool Congress undergoing a churn, imminent battle for control?

New Delhi: Weeks into the continued protests over the rape and murder incident at RG Kar hospital, the All India Trinamool Congress is apparently heading towards an imminent churn. 

Sources stated that there is more to the continued protests than what meets the eye. It is believed that the agitating doctors have received tacit support from the Abhishek Banerjee faction of the party. 

Sources pointed out that there is no way that doctors could have continued with their weeks-long agitation without the tacit approval from someone within the TMC leadership. 

It is believed that Abhishek is understood to be restless at the delay in his official takeover of the party and is attempting to undercut the leadership of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 

In fact, many in the TMC believe it is just a matter of time before it becomes an all-out war between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek.

Interestingly, this isn't the first time that such a rift has been seen between the top two leaders of the party. Sources pointed out that similar unease was witnessed between the two leaders ahead of Assembly polls in 2021.

It is learnt that Abhishek is now trying to flex his muscles within the party, which is being seen as an attempt at establishing his hold over the TMC. There is a feeling in the Abhishek camp that Mamata is not open to suggestions and new ideas which are necessary for the growth of the party. 

Abhishek is currently serving as an MP from Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency), which he has been representing since 2014. Banerjee has also been the President of Trinamool Youth Congress since 2011, the youth wing of the Trinamool Congress.

Effect of Jawhar Sircar's exit 

The resignation, earlier this week, by former bureaucrat and senior leader, Jawhar Sircar as a member of Rajya Sabha is also being seen as an ongoing battle between the old guard and new guard within the TMC. 

After the unceremonious exit of a senior leader like Sircar, after an open attack by him on the party's leadership, there is unease amongst the existing legislators of the party regarding their future in the TMC.

Not many are hopeful of securing a ticket in the next state assembly polls scheduled for 2026. In fact, many believe that an intense battle for control over party affairs is imminent and may lead to casualties in the form of sitting elected representatives being denied tickets. 

This fear amongst the legislators has also forced them to look for greener pastures in other parties where the sitting TMC elected representatives aim to secure their political future, sources added. 

The Trinamool leadership needs to address these fears of its leaders urgently so as not to lose grip over the state of West Bengal.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has been trying to make inroads into the state's politics, and the TMC needs to put its house in order at the earliest to thwart the saffron party's attempts at gaining a foothold in West Bengal.