Mamata Banerjee Says Party, Not Her, Will Decide on Successor

Amidst the ongoing infighting within the Trinamool Congress between the old guard and the Young Turks, West Bengal Chief Minister and party chief Mamata Banerjee said on Monday that any decision about her successor would be collective, not a decision to be taken by her herself.

In an interview with Bengali news channel News 18 Bangla on Friday, Banerjee dismissed talk of individual domination, telling, "I am not the party; we are the party. It's a collective family, and decisions will be taken collectively."

When asked to name potential successors, she dodged the question, turning to the interviewer and retorting: "Who is your successor?

She said this discipline can be understood by realizing no individual will dictate the TMC terms. "The party will decide what's the best for the people. We have MLAs, MPs, booth workers; this is a collective endeavor," she said.

She refrained from taking up both sides of the age old versus new debate of her party as Banerjee said that all are equal. She argued, "Everyone's crucial. Today's entrant will become tomorrow's established figure.".

While TMC has not announced any succession plans, the comment from Banerjee comes amidst a battle of wits between the old guards, perceived to be loyal to Mamata Banerjee, and the next-generation leaders, perceived to be close to Abhishek Banerjee.
Abhishek Banerjee is TMC's national general secretary and nephew of Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee was not minced in words as she addressed the role of political consultants, indirectly taking a jibe at I-PAC, which has been working as TMC's political consultant since 2019.

"Some strategists make surveys sitting at home and alter them later. They can rearrange things but not get the voters to the polling booth. It's the booth workers who know the villages and people who really win elections," she commented, adding, "They are like artisans who do their work for money. But elections aren't won by them."