Trinamool Congress to overhaul party organizations, revamp party structure
With internal disputes and BJP slowly making its entry into West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress has decided to revamp the organization ahead of next year's Lok Sabha polls. According to senior TMC leaders, the recent spate of a reshuffle in the state cabinet and some local bodies is a hint that TMC is planning to overhaul the organization at various levels. Here's more.
BJP is now emerging as the main opposition to TMC
The BJP has two Lok Sabha seats out of the total 42 seats in West Bengal. The recent by-polls and the panchayat election results have signaled a paradigm shift in the state politics with the saffron party emerging as the main opposition to the TMC. Meanwhile, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is also making her presence felt at the national level, challenging the BJP.
Ministers with 'dual' portfolios to give away some responsibilities
According to TMC insiders, the party has a two-pronged strategy, under which ministers who are "overburdened" with various portfolios will have to do away with some responsibilities. Leaders who are holding dual portfolios of district president and state minister will have to choose between them, although there will be exceptions for certain leaders who have a good track record.
Didi unhappy with lost seats and Jungelmahal performance
"The performance in some of the districts, especially Junglemahal, is not so good. Although we have won the maximum number of Zilla Parishad seats, we have also lost the ones we shouldn't have," said a senior TMC leader. Once hit by Maoist insurgency, the districts of Junglemahal, West Midnapore, Purulia, and Bankura have been the beacon of Banerjee's developmental policies in the state.
3 cabinet ministers asked to resign and concentrate on WB
Within two weeks of the results, three Cabinet ministers were asked to resign to concentrate on party organizational work. Backward Class Welfare Minister Churamani Mahato, Tribal Development Minister James Kujur, and Abani Joardar had to abide by the party's orders. The portfolios of four other ministers like state panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee were reshuffled. Mukherjee had to leave the Public Health Engineering Department.
Poor performance took jobs of few ministers
"Although Abani Joardar was ill for the last few months, Churamani Mahato lost his job for the party's performance in Junglemahal, especially in Gopiballavpur area, and James Kujur because of party's performance in Alipurduar district," said another TMC leader.
Youth leaders to be preferred; tech-savvy for social media campaigns
According to sources, youth leaders will be given preferences at various levels of district leadership ahead of next year's Lok Sabha polls. The leaders of Trinamool Youth Congress will be entrusted with tasks, depending on their ability to perform. Those who are tech-savvy will be utilized by the party to counter the "false" social media campaigns to create a rift among communities.
TMC will not tolerate internal spates affecting the party's image
The party is also contemplating the idea of removing the leaders in various districts who are adversely impacting the image of the party, according to party sources. "We will not tolerate infighting in the party, we had enough of it. If anybody is found to be involved in infighting, strict action will be taken against him or her," said a senior TMC leader.
What are these internal spates?
Apparently in TMC, the chairman and the vice chairman of North Dum Dum Municipality, clashed inside the municipal office last month and were sacked later.
