New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) Trinamool Congress founder Mamata Banerjee’s possible return as a member of the West Bengal Assembly has continued to dominate discussions, even as the jury has yet to decide which of the two current factions is the “real” party.
The Election Commission on Saturday gave time to both groups, one under Mamata Banerjee — often referred to as the “Kalighat Trinamool” from her home address – and the other, led by former Left leader Ritabrata Banerjee, to put forward their respective claims for the original name and party symbol.
Both are seeking the poll body’s recognition before by-elections to two Assembly seats in West Bengal — left vacant after the respective winning candidates resigned — are held next month.
As per a recent Election Commission communique, the repoll will be held on October 6, with the last date for making nominations being Wednesday, just four days hence.
While the Rejinagar Assembly Constituency was left vacant after the controversial Babri Mosque replica maker Humayun Kabir resigned, retaining his Naoda seat, Nandigram was vacated by current Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari for Bhabanipur, where he defeated his predecessor and once-mentor Mamata Banerjee.
Incidentally, Mamata Banerjee lost to him from Nandigram in 2021 and had to subsequently seek re-election from Bhabanipur to become Chief Minister for the third successive term.
Kabir has already extended an “invitation” to her to contest from Rejinagar, asserting that he can ensure her victory from the seat.
He was earlier with the Trinamool Congress, but was suspended following his contentious decision to build a mosque modelled on Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid at Rejinagar in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district.
He went on to launch the Aam Janata Unnayan Party and contested from two seats simultaneously. In December last year, four months before the Assembly elections, he laid the foundation stone for the replica.
Meanwhile, members of the Ritabrata faction have insisted that they would not field a candidate in Nandigram if Mamata Banerjee chose to contest herself.
Ritabrata Banerjee, now the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, himself endorsed this, though quipping that a win would mean that she could enter the state legislature only through repolls.
He was referring to her two successive losses, with a repoll ensuring her entry in the earlier case.
Mamata Banerjee, or her camp, has yet to conclusively issue a statement on her contesting the upcoming by-elections.
It is, however, almost certain that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold an edge in Nandigram in the absence of a candidate from the Ritabrata faction. His faction can split anti-Mamata Banerjee votes, where those still not supporting the BJP would have an option to exercise their franchise against the previous Trinamool regime.
As of now, the faction under the feisty former Chief Minister stands reportedly somewhat jaded following this year’s election loss, subsequent crossing over by several leaders, MPs, and MLAs, and arrests or legal proceedings initiated against many, including Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and her party’s General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
–IANS
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