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No fissure in TMC over age factor but young deliver more: Abhishek Banerjee
Abhishek Banerjee had raised the age factor several times at party meetings over the last two years, triggering guarded reactions from his followers and the old-timers
There are no differences between old and young leaders in the Trinamool Congress, the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee claimed on Sunday but reiterated that younger people always work more because age gives them a natural advantage.
Addressing a party meeting at Diamond Harbour, his Lok Sabha constituency, the nephew of chief minister Mamata Banerjee said: “Why are people talking about divisions in the TMC these days? There is no such thing. However, it is true that I have said younger people are more active. In 2023, I spent more than two months leading the Nabo Joar (new wave) campaign. I can do this because I am 36. Will I be equally active when I am 70? Age is definitely a big factor.”
It was Abhishek who raised the age factor several times at party meetings over the last two years, triggering guarded reactions from his followers and the old-timers who left the Congress with Mamata Banerjee when she launched the TMC in 1998. The differences increased in recent months amid speculations that many of the veteran Lok Sabha members might not be nominated again in 2024.
Of the 42 seats in Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wrested 18 while the Congress retained two in 2019, forcing the TMC to close its tally at 22.
As Abhishek maintained silence over the past two weeks and stayed away from celebration of the party’s 27th foundation day at the TMC headquarters in Kolkata on January 1, the simmering differences came to the fore.
“I believe Abhishek will not withdraw himself from the coming electoral battle. I am sure he will fight keeping Mamata Banerjee in the forefront,” TMC president Subrata Bakshi, a veteran, said at the event.
Abhishek gave his reply on Sunday.
“My focus will of course be on Diamond Harbour but I will do my best to carry out any responsibility the party gives me. I have always served the party to the best of my ability. I never said I will stay away from the campaign,” said the young MP.
The BJP took a potshot at the TMC on the issue.
“If Abhishek Banerjee has said something on age then the veteran TMC MPs such as Saugata Roy should be addressing it because they face the crisis,” said Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly.
Roy did not comment on the issue.
Adhikari also targeted Abhishek for announcing on Sunday that around 76,000 senior citizens in Diamond Harbour constituency will be getting a monthly old-age pension of ₹1,000 each from next month, a new scheme that has not been implemented yet in Bengal.
“I am sure the state government will implement this scheme in all districts,” Banerjee said while making the announcement.
“This is an attempt to buy votes and has been done in consultation with his aunt. But it won’t help him win. Whoever the BJP fields from Diamond Harbour will win. He will come third in the race if the Indian Secular Front (ISF) contests,” Adhikari said.
Nawsad Siddique, the sole ISF MLA in the state assembly, announced in December that he will contest against Banerjee.
