New Delhi, September 14 (Daily Kiran) : Mamata Banerjee, the founder of the Trinamool Congress and former Chief Minister of West Bengal, has decided not to contest in the upcoming assembly by-elections next month. This decision, made despite encouragement from both current and former allies, has reignited discussions about her political future.
Banerjee’s 15-year reign came to an end this year with a significant victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leading to her former ally-turned-rival, Suvendu Adhikari, assuming the chief ministerial role. Since then, the 71-year-old leader has repeatedly expressed her intention to rebuild her party and strengthen the opposition alliance known as the India Block, which aims to unify against the BJP’s formidable influence.
Interestingly, she has extended an olive branch to her staunch rivals, the Communists, and the Congress party, from which she parted ways in 1998. Following the division of the Trinamool Congress, Banerjee’s faction is now embroiled in a fierce struggle with a rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee over the party’s original name and its emblem featuring “two flowers,” which she personally designed.
Political circles in West Bengal recognize the significant grassroots influence Banerjee wielded, which led to the fall of the Left Front government that had been in power since 1977. However, her party now faces allegations of fraud, embezzlement, bribery, extortion, and smuggling, as rival factions clash in the quest for power.
While she has occasionally displayed a tough stance—publicly reprimanding party members and dissolving leadership committees—many observers note that she seems increasingly sidelined, as her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, has taken control of the organization. Those who have left the party, along with some remaining members, have quietly acknowledged the impact of administrative responsibilities on the party’s dynamics, pledging to revitalize it from the ground up.
Moreover, Banerjee has linked her struggle to the broader India Block, with supporters attributing the coalition’s name to her initiative. Despite some parties, like the Aam Aadmi Party and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, severing ties, some leaders believe Banerjee’s personal connections may facilitate her return in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Many within the coalition view her as a potential alternative who may focus more on regional politics rather than seeking a national foothold.
However, some analysts argue that Banerjee’s emphasis on strengthening the India alliance reflects her strategy to position herself as a national opposition leader. The upcoming by-elections in West Bengal will serve as a crucial test of her faction’s strength and its ability to rejuvenate the party or fulfill any national ambitions.
The by-elections for the Rejinagar and Nandigram assembly seats are scheduled for October 6. The winners, Humayun Kabir and the current Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, resigned from their respective seats. Kabir has decided to retain the Nauda seat, while Adhikari opted to represent Bhawanipur, where he defeated Banerjee by over 15,000 votes.
Kabir has invited Banerjee to contest from Rejinagar, claiming he could secure her victory. Leaders from the Ritabrata faction have insisted that they will not field a candidate in Nandigram if Banerjee herself runs.
Representing his “Aam Janata Unnayan Party” (AJUP), Kabir won the Rejinagar seat by a margin exceeding 58,000 votes, capturing 51.62 percent of the total votes. In Nauda, his victory margin was less than 28,000 votes, with approximately 39 percent of the total votes.
Interestingly, both seats are located in Murshidabad district, where Muslims constitute about 70 percent of the population. Despite this, the BJP finished second, while the Trinamool Congress dropped to third, reflecting a notable shift in voter dynamics.
Amid these changes, Banerjee’s faction is now framing their fight for the party’s election symbol and for opposition unity as part of the larger India coalition. They assert that once Banerjee regains full control of her party, uniting against the BJP’s dominance will be essential.
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