Mamata Vows to Rebuild TMC
Kolkata: After the TMC faced an electoral setback, party president Mamata Banerjee urged its candidates who contested the last assembly elections to rebuild the organisation, asserting that those who wanted to leave the party were free to do so. At a meeting with the contesting candidates of the Trinamool Congress at his home in Kalighat on Friday, attended by its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, he said that the organization will rise again despite suffering a crushing defeat in the recently concluded assembly elections.
According to party sources, Banerjee said, “Those who left for other parties, let them go. I will rebuild the party. To those who remain, I say rebuild the damaged party offices, paint them and reopen them. If necessary, I will paint them too. Trinamool Congress will never bow down. The people’s mandate has been plundered.”
These remarks came just days after the TMC was demoted from the ruling party to the opposition ranks following a stunning reversal in its electoral fortunes.
The party managed to win only 80 of the 294 assembly seats in the state.
Mamata Banerjee suffered defeat in Bhabanipur, long considered her political stronghold.
TMC fielded candidates on 291 seats, leaving three seats in Darjeeling hills to its ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), led by Anit Thapa. Of these, only 80 candidates emerged victorious, while 211 candidates, including many heavyweight leaders and ministers, lost.
The meeting in Kalighat was held for candidates contesting the elections on the party’s candidate list amid reports of internal discontent and speculations about possible defections following the election debacle.
The meeting repeated Banerjee’s statements made a day after the results were announced. At the press conference held on May 5, the party chairman said that he was aware that some leaders might change sides.
“I know that many people will go to other parties. They may have their own obligations. I have nothing to say about it. Those who want to go can go. I do not believe in holding anyone back by force,” he said.
TMC’s official X account later posted photos of the meeting and praised the contesting candidates for their fight during the election campaign.
“Today our Hon’ble President @MamataOfficial and Hon’ble National General Secretary @abhishekaitc met our candidates contesting in Kalighat. They fought with unparalleled courage despite unimaginable atrocities and relentless intimidation.
“The Trinamool Congress stands as one family. We will never bow down to those who plunder the people’s mandate. Truth will prevail,” the party said on X on Friday.
The post also repeated the party’s accusation that its electoral mandate had been “stolen”; This claim was repeatedly made by TMC leaders after the poll results.
Party insiders said Banerjee used the meeting to boost the morale of candidates contesting the polls and send a message of unity at a difficult phase of the organisation.
