Mamata marginalised TMC leaders close to Abhishek in new panel: Malviya

Describing TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee as "paranoid", BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya alleged that she dissolved all party posts to marginalise those closer to her nephew Abhishek Banerjee

Describing Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee as "paranoid", BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya on Sunday alleged that she dissolved all party posts to marginalise those closer to her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, as she is afraid of a "coup" in the TMC.

The accusations of Malviya, the BJP's co-incharge of West Bengal, came a day after the TMC supremo dissolved the party's national office bearers' panel, which included Abhishek Banerjee - the national general secretary, and formed a 20-member working committee packed with party veterans amid a growing rift between old-timers and Gen Next.

The BJP leader's statement drew a sharp rebuttal from the TMC which asserted that he should not meddle in the organisational rejig in the ruling party of West Bengal.

Malviya tweeted, "After Abhishek Banerjee threatened to resign on the issue of one person one post, a paranoid Mamata Banerjee dissolved all party posts, constituted a 'committee', marginalising those aligned to Abhishek. What next? Sack all ministers and run the Govt alone? Fear of coup is real!"

In the 20-member national working committee, Banerjee brought to the fore her trusted old guard while retaining young blood like Abhishek whose supporters in the recent past had publicly criticised veterans on the issue of holding multiple posts - within the party and the state administration.

Abhishek has been advocating "one person one post" to make way for newcomers.

Reacting to the BJP leader's tweet, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told reporters that he should look into the happenings in his own party's state unit, as "rebels like Jay Prakash Majumdar and Ritesh Tiwari described him as tweet Malviya."

Majumdar and Tiwari, veteran leaders of the state BJP, were suspended last month for "violating party discipline".

Ghosh said, "He (Malviya) should remember how his frequent tweets before the West Bengal assembly polls only helped in turning the tide against the BJP. Having no connection with grassroots, such armchair leaders only love to tweet."

The TMC state general secretary said that Saturday's decision was nothing but an organisational rejig which happens in every party including the Congress.

"This is democratic centralisation and the committee will work towards thwarting the BJP's divisive policy and serving the people," he said.

Meanwhile, the unsigned list of TMC candidates for elections to 108 municipal bodies was removed from the party's social media handle on Sunday, more than a week after it was uploaded.

The official list, signed by TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee and state president Subrata Bakshi was also released on February 4. The polls will be held on February 27.

"The list could not be deleted earlier due to some technical problems. The technical glitches were solved and the list was removed," Ghosh said.