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Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s absence from a crucial meeting on voter list verification has once again fueled speculation about internal power dynamics within the party.
The meeting, held at the TMC headquarters on Thursday, was the first gathering of the high-powered committee formed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to tackle alleged electoral roll irregularities.
Despite being second on the committee’s priority list, following state president Subrata Bakshi, Abhishek chose not to attend. His absence has reignited discussions about a possible shift in power equations within the party, even as sources close to him cited prior commitments in his Diamond Harbour constituency as the reason.
Absence Raises Eyebrows Amid Internal Speculations
While some TMC insiders dismissed the issue, others pointed to Mamata Banerjee’s earlier directive that all electoral work be handled from the party headquarters, emphasizing a centralized decision-making approach.
Abhishek Banerjee, often regarded as the second-in-command within TMC, has been at the center of intra-party speculation in recent months. His strained ties with senior party leaders were previously downplayed after Mamata publicly backed his speech at a rally in Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium. However, his no-show at this key meeting has once again brought murmurs of internal discord to the surface.
What Kept Abhishek Away?
Sources close to Abhishek claim he was occupied with the final stages of the Sebashray welfare camps in his Diamond Harbour constituency. A day before the meeting, he was reportedly in Maheshtala overseeing the initiative.
Though he was in Kolkata on Thursday, he did not attend the meeting, choosing instead to focus on an upcoming virtual meeting for Diamond Harbour’s state committee members, district presidents, and organizational heads scheduled for March 15. Some party members argue that this alternative meeting format may justify his physical absence from headquarters.
TMC Pushes for ‘Unique ID’ in Voter Cards
At the Thursday meeting, TMC leaders focused on voter list verification across various districts, a move aimed at countering alleged manipulations by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Subrata Bakshi took charge of South Kolkata, while Abhishek was assigned responsibility for South 24 Parganas.
The party has alleged that the BJP has been adding “fake” and “outsider” voters to the rolls, with Mamata Banerjee previously accusing the Election Commission of enabling such practices. In response, a TMC delegation, led by Bakshi, met West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to push for a ‘Unique ID’ system for voter cards, akin to Aadhaar and passports, to prevent duplication and fraud.
Senior leader Firhad Hakim stated, “The BJP is trying to turn Bengal’s elections into a farce. Voter cards should have a Unique ID to maintain electoral integrity.”
Internal Reshuffle?
A senior TMC leader suggested that Abhishek’s absence might indicate a transition from a highly centralized power structure to a more decentralized model of party functioning. The party has faced internal challenges over leadership styles, and this development could be seen as a step toward distributing responsibilities more evenly.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has maintained that the voter list verification process is conducted transparently with the involvement of booth-level officers (BLOs) appointed by political parties. However, TMC continues to demand stricter physical verifications for any new additions made online.
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