The Siege Of Mamata

At least one major party in West Bengal may not remain the same after the polls. Thereference is not to the CPI(M), the Congress or the BJP, but the Trinamool Congress led byMamata Banerjee. Recent remarks by Union Home Minister L.K.Advani and TMC MPs Ajit Panjaand Dr Nitish Sengupta clearly indicate that something is wrong within the TMC and the BJPis keen to take advantage of its problems, especially as Ms Banerjee deserted the NDA at acrucial time.

Significant also is the fact that these leaders have spoken to the Press on theinternal matters of the TMC even during the campaign for the Assembly polls, suggestingthat on their agenda, the urge to settle old scores takes precedence over electoralcompulsions. Mr Panja threw the first stone in the pool, by criticising Ms Banerjee's"dictatorial ways" and her unilateral decision to quit the NDA. He followed itup by meeting Prime Minister A.B.Vajpayee and Mr Advani in Delhi. At that stage, other TMCMPs like Dr Sengupta, Mrs Krishna Bose and Mr Bikram Sarkar had maintained a diplomaticsilence. They explained Mr Panja's outburst as an individual's reaction that needed to beaddressed by their leader.

But now Dr Sengupta has joined the fray in right earnest. The TMC would decide afterthe polls whether or not to support the NDA, he says, citing the example of the TeluguDesam which supports the NDA from outside. This set off speculation in Kolkata as towhether Dr Sengupta had commented on a major policy matter after consulting Ms Banerjee.However, it looked as though he had't. He also described the Tehelka revelations as"a CPI(M) plot", clarifying to mystified scribes that he referred to the way theCPI(M) had crowed over the matter. Ms Banerjee clearly did not regard the Tehelka tapes asa Left machination, in which case she would never have resigned.

Now Mr Advani has turned the knife deeper into the TMC wound, adding that some TMC MPshad expressed their grievances over the way they had been treated by their one and onlyleader, and some had even talked of joining the BJP. Clearly the BJP is out to avenge itspast discomfitures and knives are out on both sides. The question naturally arises, is theTMC heading for a post-election split? The key to an answer is the party's performance inthe Assembly polls.

In case the TMC does well, there would be little scope for the senior MPs, howeverdisgruntled, to part company with the old firm. If not, Ms Banerjee had better watch out.There would almost certainly be an exodus. Not just at the highest level and not mainly tothe BJP, but a small section also opting to rejoin the Congress.

Ms Banerjee for all her charisma and dynamism is certainly responsible for this prettykettle of stew. The problem with her is that she herself symbolises the same traits sheonce detested as a Congress worker -- her views not being seriously heard by a callous,indifferent, leadership. In her own party, without holding any official post, Ms Banerjeereigns supreme. Her authority unbounded by any party constitution and no dissident voiceever tolerated. There is no leader in the TMC who does not admit to newsmen in private theagony he/she hides under a false cloak of loyalty to the supreme leader.

It was a question of time that the dissidence within the TMC became public.This alsoweakens her position within the TMC/Congress alliance, where leaders like A.B.Ghani KhanChoudhury, Pranab Mukherjee or P.R.Das Munshi, used to a measure of autonomy within theCongress, would prove only more impatient when it comes to obeying dictats from anyquarter.

Ms Banerjee had captured the imagination of the anti-establishment elements andsidelined groups within the Congress by raising a banner of revolt. It is a pity that sheherself has not learnt the lessons from her success.