The ruling party is trying to keep its flock together in Nandigram and Singur, two of the most emotive and politically significant landmarks of Mamata Banerjee’s political career.
Although trouble on both fronts had been brewing for some time, Trinamul started damage control over the past couple of days.
“These past couple of days has seen hectic parleys behind the scenes so that the BJP is unable to take advantage of the opportunities arising out of the situation...in Singur and Nandigram,” said a Trinamul Rajya Sabha member.
The niggling pain in Nandigram is because of transport minister Suvendu Adhikari and his influential clan, Trinamul sources say.
On Thursday in Nandigram, Suvendu — who is widely speculated to defect to the BJP or start a party of his own — referred respectfully to Mamata and the party. He returned to the belligerence that has come to characterise his political statements, deemed critical of Trinamul, on Friday. On Tuesday, at a martyrs’ day tribute in Nandigram, Suvendu had not mentioned Mamata at all at a parallel event, skipping the party event later that afternoon.
“After the devastation of Cyclone Amphan, nobody came to Nandigram. But I was by your side,” said the 51-year-old leader, allegedly negotiating terms with the BJP.
“We will keep marching forward. Without looking back. Nobody will be able to stop us,” said Suvendu, a day after poll strategist Prashant Kishor handling Trinamul in Bengal spent a couple of hours at his Contai home speaking to his father, MP Sisir Adhikari.
Speculation over the minister’s possible defection to the BJP or forming a separate political party that joins the NDA has often emerged since 2013. Sources close to him have attributed his displeasure to the elevation by Mamata of nephew Abhishek as her political successor, which Adhikari had aspired to be.
Trinamul sources said Mamata spoke to Suvendu over the phone, after which Kishor travelled from Calcutta to meet him at his home. Kishor spoke to 79-year-old Sisir, who has been a lot more amenable.
“Both sides are more keen to negotiate now. Among the offers being made are for Suvendu to replace Subrata Bakshi as the state president of the party. But a deal is yet to be sealed,” said a source, who pointed out that Suvendu had, in the past, not taken kindly to Kishor and his methods.
But after Trinamul’s Serampore MP Kalyan Banerjee issued a public criticism of Suvendu, some of the progress was laid to waste. “Kalyan has been cautioned. Talks with Team Adhikari are still underway,” said a minister, before adding that he was expecting a repeat of the Singur truce that leadership struck with Haripal MLA Becharam Manna, at the forefront of the anti-land acquisition movement in Singur.
Manna submitted his resignation to Speaker Biman Banerjee on Thursday from the membership of the Assembly, but withdrew it later in the day after Mamata and Bakshi intervened.
Manna and Singur MLA Rabindranath Bhattacharjee – known for testy ties over the years -- have been sparring over the posts of the party’s Singur and Haripal block presidents, both wanting their favourites to occupy them.
"Becharam resigned as he was upset with Rabindranath-babu... But it has been settled at least for the time being. The factional fights in Hooghly are proving costly for us," said a source.
Trinamul won 16 of the 18 Assembly seats in Hooghly in 2016, while the BJP had none. But in the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP secured leads in eight of them, including Singur, which Mamata had expressed intense displeasure over in internal meetings.
After the state leadership’s emissary, Uttarpara MLA Prabir Ghosal, met Manna at his residence on Friday, the Haripal MLA issued a statement denying the resignation drama, reaffirmed his allegiance to the chief minister and played down his differences with Bhattacharjee.
