As the Trinamul Congress turned 27 on Monday, the debate over whether veterans should make way for the young brigade raged, with supremo Mamata Banerjee backing the seasoned leaders, while her nephew Abhishek advocating the retirement of elderly politicos.

The old guards versus new generation debate, which has been grappling the TMC for quite some time, took a fresh turn with the chief minister last month calling for respect for senior members, dismissing assertions that veteran leaders should retire from politics.

Following the CM's dictum, Abhishek Banerjee, the TMC national general secretary, however, said there must be a retirement age in politics, citing a decline in work efficiency with advancing age.

Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, considered to be close to Abhishek Banerjee, however, claimed there was no conflict between the old and the new but asserted that the old guards "should know where to stop" and that they needed to step aside for next generation leaders.

The debate raged as several sitting MPs, ministers, and senior leaders aged over 70, who hold multiple posts, opposed Ghosh's remark.

The senior leaders were not willing to read much into the maximum age limit proposed by Abhishek Banerjee, while the youth brigade yearned for more space within the party.

TMC's Lok Sabha party leader Sudip Bandopadhyay said, "Mamata Banerjee is the party supremo... her decision is final. If she thinks someone is old enough to retire, he or she will retire. If she thinks otherwise, that person would continue working for the party." Seventy-four-year-old Bandopadhyay, a veteran in West Bengal politics, felt the debate was "childish" as the party needs both youngsters and senior members.

Echoing his sentiments, senior party leader Saugata Roy said, "Age is not a barrier within the party. The ultimate decision on roles of seniors and the next generation rests with Mamata Banerjee." "Only she decides who will contest elections or be in which position in the party. She is the final authority," the 76-year-old politician said.

Roy, a three-term Lok Sabha MP, had last month drawn a clear distinction between the TMC and the BJP, which has a rule preventing leaders aged over 75 years from holding senior positions or contesting polls, while the ruling party in West Bengal didn't have any such mandate.

According to party sources, both Bandopadhyay and Roy top the list of leaders who might be affected if the proposed age bracket is implemented in the party.

Senior minister Firhad Hakim, known to be very close to the CM, also said that only she can decide on a maximum age limit or one-person-one-post propositions.

"If she thinks someone should hold several posts, he or she would, if not that person won't," Hakim, who holds two cabinet portfolios besides being Kolkata Mayor, said.

Party sources said there have been increasing demands for an age bar and one-person-one-post to phase out veterans and make way for Young Turks handpicked by Abhishek Banerjee.

Ghosh, while speaking on the controversy, had earlier said the party needed the experience of the old and the energy of the youth.

"The senior leaders should know where to stop. If they continue to hold on to their positions for years, then what will the young leaders do? They will feel frustrated," he said.

Another senior TMC leader, on condition of anonymity, opined, "It would have been better had the debate not raged now ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election as it might affect our poll prospects.

The present controversy brings back memories of a two-year-old internal feud between the old guards and the young brigade.

Amidst murmurs of an alleged power struggle in January 2022, Mamata Banerjee dissolved all national office-bearer committees, including the post of national general secretary held by her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.

Subsequently, a new committee was formed, and Abhishek Banerjee was reinstated as the party's national general secretary.

Since then, Abhishek Banerjee has not only gained prominence within the party but has also been considered the de facto number two in the state's ruling dispensation.

In the TMC's 27-year-journey, Mamata Banerjee, who has earned herself the image of a gutsy leader, has always made swift comebacks with greater ferocity as and when some leaders in her coterie revolted, and 2022 was no exception as she barely dithered to clip Abhishek Banerjee's wings.

Speaking on the issue, political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty opined that the feud might hurt the party's prospects in the upcoming parliamentary polls.

"The battle between the old and the new in the TMC has added a new dimension to West Bengal's politics. If this debate is not arrested soon, it will hurt the TMC's Lok Sabha prospects," he said.

Political scientist Maidul Islam said the debate is indeed a "matter of worry" for the party leadership.

"It is certainly an issue to worry about for the TMC top brass ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. But it has to be seen how Mamata Banerjee tackles the situation by keeping a balance between the veterans and the young leaders. As long as she is in complete charge, this issue might not be able to have any impact," he said.

TMC was formed on January 1, 1998. Since then, the first day of the year is considered the foundation day of the party that broke out of the Congress.

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