TMC's Abhishek Banerjee Announces 'Short Hiatus' Over Medical Issue, Sparks Speculation

A week after the Lok Sabha election 2024 results that brought 29 seats for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress in the state, seven seats more than her party’s seat tally in the last general election, her nephew and party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, in a post on social media, has announced his short ‘hiatus’ from the organisation citing ‘pressing medical reasons’. According to the sources in the party, the MP is likely to skip the first Parliamentary sessions after the formation of the new government and also the Budget Session scheduled in July.

Even though Abhishek Banerjee has taken medical breaks for his treatment abroad earlier too, this is the first time he has made such a public announcement and called it a ‘hiatus’.

A section in Bengal political circles and in his party are abuzz over this sudden political announcement. Banerjee is also the Trinamool candidate who won his seat Diamond Harbour by a record margin of 7,10,930 votes defeating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Abhijit Das. This is believed to be the highest victory margin for any political party in the region.

“In light of some pressing medical reasons, I will be taking a short hiatus from the organisation. This time off will be an opportunity for me to humbly explore and understand the needs of our people and community. I trust that GoWB will act swiftly and leave no stone unturned to ensure justice for those in need,” Banerjee wrote concluding his post on the X (formerly twitter ) platform on June 12.

He also mentioned about his party’s work and the movement his party did under his leadership to bring the state’s dues under the MGNREGA scheme from the Centre.

“Last year around this time, I had the opportunity to participate in Nabo Jowar Yatra (a campaign programme to build ground connect and traveled across West Bengal to understand the issues and challenges faced by people on the ground. Witnessing firsthand the hardships caused by Rising Prices and the stoppage of MGNREGA dues deeply affected me. In response, AITC organised statewide protests and took the matter to Delhi to fight for people’s rights. Thankfully, this was addressed in February, along with an increase in financial assistance through the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme to help families,” he wrote in the post.

“I am profoundly grateful to the people of Bengal for their trust and faith in us. The results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections reflect the anger and frustration of the people, especially regarding the neglect of basic housing rights due to the state-centre conflict. We have committed to addressing this by December 31, and I have already requested the HCM and relevant authorities of GoWB to prioritise this issue,” he added.

The Whispers in Corridors

Party insiders claim that there has been a difference of opinion between the leaders of Trinamool Congress – Mamata Banerjee and her political heir Abhishek. Even though the candidate list for general elections carried a large political imprint of Abhishek with many fresh and young faces on the list, there are some Trinamool veterans, who continued to be the candidates despite his resistance.

The state saw a factional feud like situation between two sections of Trinamool Congress over the candidature of senior Trinamool MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay in the North Kolkata seat. Kunal Ghosh, party’s former state secretary, quit his positions of state secretary and party’s spokesperson, addressed media about Sudip Bandhyopadhyay’s ‘ineffective political decisions’ and ‘incapability of running the party in his constituency’.

He was called BJP’s agent as well. Ghosh, who is known to be a close associate of Abhishek, spoke against the MP elect in some interviews in regional news channels. As a follow up disciplinary action, Ghosh was formally shunted out of his position of being the spokesperson of the party through an official letter undersigned by Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha MP and leader of the party in the RS, Derek O Brien.

After so much internal opposition by a section in Trinamool Congress, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appointed Sudip Bandyopadhyay as the leader of AITC parliamentary party in Lok Sabha. According to the insiders, Banerjee’s decision irked Abhishek. Later, the party supremo also denied to field a candidate suggested by Abhishek for the Bengal bypoll.

‘Episodic’ Disagreements

“Even though Didi in her first press conference after the results, got Abhishek alongside her and credited his efforts, the young leader feels that his political authority has been challenged by a few decisions. He might be upset and that is why he wants to take a break while we all know that the medical reasons are genuine too. However, the tone and tenor of the posts suggest otherwise. There has been a tiff,” said a senior leader and former MP.

Another leader, who is also a minister in Banerjee’s cabinet said that there was no ‘need to read too much between the lines”.

“Abhishek is Didi’s bloodline. They have the most cordial terms. There are certain disagreements, which is normal between a young and a veteran. Didi always wants to be loyal to her old comrades, who have been there with her during the days of her struggle. Abhishek wants more fresh and young blood. As far as the disagreements are concerned, it seems episodic to us,” said the leader.

Significantly, such instances of political differences between the aunt and the nephew are not new. There have been some instances in 2021 post assembly elections and post 2016 assembly elections as well. The minister finally summed up saying “all is well, nothing to worry.”