Mamata Banerjee Supports Abhishek Banerjee's Road Show, Says 'Preparing Next Generation Of Leaders'

On the tenth day of the two-month "Trinamool-e Naba Jowar" grassroots campaign, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee lauded her nephew's efforts to reach out to the masses, saying "it enjoys the people's support," thereby throwing her support behind what has been Abhishek Banerjee's show so far.

On the tenth day of the planned two-month "Trinamool-e Naba Jowar" grass roots campaign, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee lent her support to what has largely been Abhishek Banerjee's show and praised her nephew's efforts to reach out to the populace. She said the program has her approval because "it enjoys the people's support."

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee lauded her nephew's efforts to reach out to the masses. "I had advised Abhishek to pause before attempting the difficult task of living on the streets for two months. But young people have a way of rising to the occasion." At the Naba Jowar's English Bazaar session in Malda on Thursday, Banerjee also stated, "I attach a lot of importance to this movement by Abhishek and his team of Trinamool youngsters because it is aimed at reaching out to the people and is already enjoying the support of the people."

Abhishek Banerjee: Trinamool 2.0

Abhishek, the party's national general secretary, began his public relations outreach from Dinhata in Cooch Behar on April 25 in the lead-up to the scheduled panchayat elections. The party is facing an uphill perception battle in Bengal as a result of accusations of widespread corruption in recruitment at public offices and schools as well as political violence throughout the state. In Malda, where he was joined by the chief minister who was in the area for a district-level administrative meeting, his juggernaut arrived after nine days and a few internal party disputes over the election of preferred panchayat candidates. Abhishek planned the proposed reform within the tumultuous ruling regime, a sort of Trinamool 2.0, along corporate lines where revived grassroots public relations would be combined with a daily end-of-day schedule of people voting to choose candidates for their local panchayats.

Party's Next Generation

On Thursday, Mamata put an end to any potential concerns within the party about whether the program truly possessed the supremo's genuine authority given that it wasn't being led by her. "I am preparing the party's next generation of leaders to not just face the BJP but to stop them long after I am gone. The likes of Abhishek and Bobby (Firhad Hakim) would carry out that mission. Rani Rashmoni came to take a bath at the Aadi Ganga near where I live in Kolkata. I am aware of the water's gushing entrance at jowar (high tide). The party's naba jowar will inundate the organisation with energy and passion rather than just acting as a high tide to keep it from ebbing away." The Trinamool supremo reiterated her former stance towards having the proper mixture of old and young faces within the party leadership. "I welcome the rush of youth within the party while retaining due respect and position for the experienced members," she said.

Mamata Attacks BJP

Mamata underlined her promise to thwart any efforts by the Centre to impose CAA or NRC in a district where minority community votes have significant impact. "I've already stopped it once. I'll halt it once more," she declared. "A footwear works best when it is on foot," the chief minister added, referring to the BJP as a party that "both visual and sound pollution, "The head shouldn't be the place for it."

Mamata On Karnataka Election

Regarding the upcoming Assembly elections in the southern state of Karnataka, Mamata Banerjee said, "The BJP will eventually fall. I will be happy if it starts from Karnataka. In that state, we are not contesting. I just ask that they abstain from voting for the BJP. There, voters may choose any party other than the BJP. Can the same be said for the states where we are contesting the elections by other Opposition parties?" She said, making a veiled allusion to the political stance of the Left and Congress, which have been tenaciously opposing the Trinamool in Bengal.