After desertions, Mamata Banerjee formally takes over as TMC state chief

Banerjee, in a 28-minute address on Facebook, accused BJP of engineering desertions and defections through pressure and intimidation and dared the deserters to join BJP directly if they had the guts.

KOLKATA: Former CM Mamata Banerjee on Saturday formally took over the presidentship of the beleaguered party after one-time confidante Chandrima Bhattacharya, whom she appointed state president barely a month ago, quit all party posts.Banerjee, in a 28-minute address on Facebook, accused BJP of engineering desertions and defections through pressure and intimidation and dared the deserters to join BJP directly if they had the guts.She also referred to the ongoing dispute over the party’s Metropolitan office as she sought to reassure supporters amid an escalating organisational crisis: “My home at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street is our permanent party office and no one can take that away from us. They can take over our office, our symbol but not our supporters.”Trinamool’s political identity extended far beyond its offices or election symbol, she said.Banerjee’s video address came in the wake of a series of revolts and exits from the party, including 20 Lok Sabha MPs and 60-plus MLAs.The original NCP and Shiv Sena symbols have gone to rebels after similar takeovers in Maharashtra, and many loyalists on Saturday interpreted Banerjee’s speech as an acknowledgement of what Trinamool was staring at.“Our state president, Subrata Bakshi, is unwell and we temporarily gave charge to someone else. But now I will look after the work of state president,” she said, adding that Kunal Ghosh and Madan Mitra would be the two new state general secretaries.Trinamool would not be intimidated by “sustained campaign of political persecution”, she asserted.The original NCP and the Shiv Sena symbols have gone to rebels after similar takeovers in Maharashtra, and many loyalists on Saturday interpreted Banerjee’s speech as an acknowledgement of what the Trinamool was staring at in Bengal.“Could you not wait for even two months? There should be a limit to this betrayal,” Banerjee said, addressing the rebels and adding, “Go and join the BJP if you have the courage, if you have the guts. We have no objection. But you cannot work for the BJP and call yourselves Trinamool.”She also accused the BJP of using state machinery to systematically target Trinamool workers, alleging that thousands of supporters were being arrested in “false and fabricated” criminal cases without any proof. Police officers were acting as political functionaries rather than law enforcement officials, she added.“The BJP does not have its own organisation and so they are making inspectors-in charge do the work of block presidents and superintendents of police do the work of district presidents. Cops’ duty is to maintain law and order, to give people peace and reassurance, not to spread terror,” she said, alleging that several party seniors were being threatened with arrest unless they defected to the BJP.Banerjee also made a distinction between brick-and-mortar party offices and the party’s support base: “You can lock a house but can never lock people’s hearts.”Former state finance minister Bhattacharya’s resignation was under consideration for some time because of developments involving her family, Banerjee suggested.“She wastelling me that she would resign. Her son had already shaken hands with traitors. But I will not shake hands (with them). I do not want leaders, I want workers. May I never lose the love of the common people,” she said, insisting that the Trinamool would emerge stronger from the crisis.“Some people are wishing my death. They are asking how many more days I have. But I will be around and the next generation will be around. Some people may bow (to the BJP) but others will continue to hold the party flag,” she said.Banerjee also accused the current administration of jeopardising the midday meal programme, alleging that children were being deprived of eggs and thousands of workers associated with the scheme were facing uncertainty because of “the politics of revenge”.“Egg is protein. I have no problem if someone is vegetarian. But (many) village children go to school just for the meal,” she said, arguing that the programme had played a key role in reducing school dropout rates during the Trinamool tenure.The problems extended to other schemes as well, Banerjee said, adding that hawkers, too, were living in fear. “But every action has a reaction. The more atrocities they commit, the more we will grow,” she added.