Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee Call Truce, Gear Up for Joint Campaign in Bengal

Sources claim that Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee have resolved to put aside their disputes internally, at least for the time being, and have resolved to spend no more time in getting started on the campaign and organizational preparations for the general elections.

The alleged ceasefire between the aunt and nephew, while short-lived, earlier this week gave the Trinamul Congress the freedom to take up weapons and fight in the polls once again under their combined leadership after it yielded outstanding results in 2021.


"For the time being at least, they have buried the metaphorical hatchet. It took place as a result of their Tuesday meeting. Though we were losing sleep over how long it was taking, this was unavoidable. However, as they say, it's better late than never, according to an insider with Trinamul.

The rank and file of Trinamul had been worried about the harm being done by the impasse their campaign launch was mired in due to a rumored succession conflict that was represented in the dispute between the old and new.

On Wednesday, Abhishek, the national general secretary of Trinamul, made the decision to call a significant organizational meeting pertaining to the general election on February 16th, inviting all leaders down to the block level. His decision is considered noteworthy as it is the result of a long-overdue face-to-face meeting with the chief minister on Tuesday and marks his first statewide organizational engagement since October of last year.

"The insider stated that they were in agreement about the urgent necessity of uniting against the saffron juggernaut, as they intend to use every tactic possible to secure a substantial number of seats in Bengal."

On February 16, starting at 3 p.m., Abhishek—who has seldom been seen at political events unrelated to his Lok Sabha seat of Diamond Harbour since Durga Puja last year—will essentially meet with every member of his party, including MPs, MLAs, and block presidents.

His administration has almost completed the preparations for a massive campaign centered upon the idea that Bengal would become more self-sufficient under Mamata's one-engine government, after consulting with an outside firm.

It is a clear jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ideas of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India, an umbrella term for the Center's initiatives to make the country more efficient, competitive, and resilient) and double-engine governments (BJP-led governments in the state and at the Center as a "necessary" development accelerator).

"Mamata has not yet given her approval for the big campaign, and it won't go live till she does. However, she is anticipated to approve of it and already has a general understanding of the outline, according to a Trinamul source.

"It is fundamentally similar to the 'Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chay (Bengal wants only its daughter)' campaign conceived by (poll consultant) Prashant Kishor for the (2021) Assembly elections," he said. "Abhishek responded to the (state) budget last evening with a bit of a tease."

This Thursday, the MP for Diamond Harbour praised the Bengal budget in a short remark on X.

He had stated in the article, "We're forging our way towards Swanirbhor Bangla (self-reliant Bengal) by strengthening the hands of our mothers, sisters, and the poor."