Absence of many MLAs from TMC’s protest triggers chatter amid party’s post-poll churn
A section of TMC MPs staged a sit-in protest near the Ambedkar statue in the assembly building against “post-election violence” and eviction attempts by hawkers; This was the party’s first coordinated agitation after it was pushed to the opposition ranks after 15 years in power.
Among those present were Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, Nayana Banerjee, Kunal Ghosh and Ritabrata Banerjee.
However, only 35 out of 80 MLAs participated in the programme, leading to special interest.At a time when the party is struggling to recover after its election defeat, discussions continue in political circles about possible fault lines within the organization.
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Senior TMC MLA Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, who is also the party’s choice for the Opposition Leader post, rejected suggestions of internal discord and attributed the absence to logistical constraints and organizational responsibilities.
“Around 35 MLAs were present at the program today. Most of them could not come as the legislators were busy with workers in many areas affected by post-election violence. Then the program was held a day in advance, so it was a problem for MLAs staying in remote areas to arrive,” he told PTI. But optics gained importance because it came barely a day after an important meeting in Kalighat, which few people attended, according to party sources. The legislators argued that the TMC could not revitalize itself through strategy sessions alone and needed to reconnect with the people through mobilization on the ground.
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Party sources said that at Tuesday’s meeting attended by party president Mamata Banerjee and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, some MLAs expressed concern over the perceived absence of the party leadership from street agitation following the election defeat.
Many legislators reportedly stated that “holding meetings in closed rooms” would not help a party trying to regain lost political ground.
Sources said the discussions in Kalighat also reflected a larger concern among some sections of the party over the post-election political approach of the leadership.
In this context, Wednesday’s protest carried symbolism that went beyond the issue of post-election violence and anti-rape initiatives.
For a party whose political identity was shaped by agitations from Singur and Nandigram to long-running anti-Left street campaigns, a return to the streets has historically been at the heart of its politics.
TMC MPs staged a sit-in protest at the BR Ambedkar statue in the Assembly over allegations of eviction, use of bulldozers to demolish buildings and post-election violence.
Political observers said the relatively weak turnout at the first major protest by TMC legislators after the change of guard inevitably raised questions about how effectively the party could transition from an established ruling force to an opposition outfit.
The issue may not be numbers alone, they said, but the message such optics send at a time when the party is trying to rebuild its organizational confidence after an unprecedented setback.
