Mamata is Trinamool, we are with her, say loyalists

Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee is synonymous with the Trinamool Congress, and the Trinamool Congress is synonymous with her, echoed party loyalists, including the MLAs and the workers as the party faces one of its biggest defections in 28 years following the defeat in assembly polls.“Mamata Banerjee represents the real Trinamool, the very woman who gave birth to the party. The mother of the Trinamool Congress is, by definition, the true Trinamool Congress,” said MLA Kunal Ghosh, also the party spokesperson.Ghosh is among the section of the MLAs who have remained with the Mamata-led faction. He added: “Trinamool means Mamata Banerjee. All the workers are with Didi.”Questioning how an expelled MLA could function as the Leader of Opposition, Ghosh said: “That is simply not possible. We submitted a letter, and they submitted a letter of their own. There are numerous MLAs whose signatures appear on both our letter and theirs. So, effectively, two letters have been submitted. The remaining aspects, such as the parliamentary legalities involved, will have to be examined. Ultimately, whatever decision the party takes will be final. However, the individuals currently engaging in this dissent were not independent candidates; they were Mamata Banerjee’s candidates, candidates representing the party itself…They have used Mamata Banerjee’s picture to win. Those who are now talking big, misusing Mamata Banerjee’s name,” he said, adding that the leadership was examining “parliamentary, legislative and legal aspects” of the matter.Ghosh also rejected claims that the party had ceased to exist. “Some people are creating a wrong narrative that the Trinamool Congress as a party has been dissolved. That is not true. This narrative is being created by some anti-Trinamool forces. Trinamool is there, Trinamool was there and will be there,” he said, clarifying that only party committees had been dissolved, not the party itself.Madan Mitra, an MLA from Kamarhati and one of Banerjee’s early associates, attacked the BJP for backing an expelled politician. “I want to convey my regards to BJP for encouraging a politician like Ritabrata Banerjee, who has been expelled twice from two different parties within a period of seven to eight years. This is perhaps the only instance in the world,” Mitra said, warning the BJP to “be careful” about elevating such a figure.Referring to the LoP dispute, Mitra said, “They are saying they are aligned with Mamata Banerjee, but have formed an opposition to Trinamool. How is that possible? Ritabrata Banerjee has been expelled. The moment he is expelled, he has become independent. So an expelled politician, cannot be the LoP.”Trinamool’s Chowringhee MLA Nayna Bandyopadhyay said: “We all built this party around Mamata Banerjee. Those who signed and those who didn’t — all of us have won because of Didi. The workers are still with Didi. If Didi is considered the mother until April 29 or May 4, how can things change after the results?”Former speaker Biman Banerjee refused to comment.