During Sitaram Kesri’s tenure, the 80th AICC session was held in Kolkata. Mamata Banerjee, MP, was the president of the state Youth Congress. The then Youth Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala remarked, "I, as the president of the Youth Congress, had given her a free hand in West Bengal to fight the Marxists."
However, she wasn’t getting her due in the party. In 1996, she revolted and refrained from campaigning for candidates of the Somen Mitra and Priyaranjan Dasmunshi factions. “She was back-stabbed by PCC honchos while she ventured to contest against Somen Mitra for the PCC president's post,” admits a senior leader of the Pradesh Congress Committee.
During the AICC session, her nominees weren't accepted as delegates while the other factions were favoured. “We rejected the attitude of the leaders who failed to ‘honour’ the wishes of common Congressmen”, says Trinamool's Mukul Roy. Mamata held a rally outside the AICC meeting hall. Then, in mid-December 1997, she, along with former Union minister Ajit Panja, launched Trinamool Congress. She was expelled from the Congress reportedly at the behest of Pranab Mukherjee and Somen Mitra, the then PCC chief. Interestingly, Mitra is a Trinamool MP now.
Many Congressmen joined Trinamool. They termed Congress as the ‘B-team of CPM’, an assessment that voters agreed with. In 1998, Trinamool bagged seven LS seats capturing 26% votes, pushing Congress to the third position. In 2000, it captured the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. In 2001, it became the main opposition in the State Assembly winning 80 seats. However, in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls and 2006 Assembly elections the party had to pay the price of its association with BJP. But, the land agitation helped the party wrest 26 of 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2009, besides total control of three tire panchayats in south Bengal districts.
However, she wasn’t getting her due in the party. In 1996, she revolted and refrained from campaigning for candidates of the Somen Mitra and Priyaranjan Dasmunshi factions. “She was back-stabbed by PCC honchos while she ventured to contest against Somen Mitra for the PCC president's post,” admits a senior leader of the Pradesh Congress Committee.
During the AICC session, her nominees weren't accepted as delegates while the other factions were favoured. “We rejected the attitude of the leaders who failed to ‘honour’ the wishes of common Congressmen”, says Trinamool's Mukul Roy. Mamata held a rally outside the AICC meeting hall. Then, in mid-December 1997, she, along with former Union minister Ajit Panja, launched Trinamool Congress. She was expelled from the Congress reportedly at the behest of Pranab Mukherjee and Somen Mitra, the then PCC chief. Interestingly, Mitra is a Trinamool MP now.
Many Congressmen joined Trinamool. They termed Congress as the ‘B-team of CPM’, an assessment that voters agreed with. In 1998, Trinamool bagged seven LS seats capturing 26% votes, pushing Congress to the third position. In 2000, it captured the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. In 2001, it became the main opposition in the State Assembly winning 80 seats. However, in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls and 2006 Assembly elections the party had to pay the price of its association with BJP. But, the land agitation helped the party wrest 26 of 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2009, besides total control of three tire panchayats in south Bengal districts.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
