In a swift political move aimed at consolidating her control over the party organisation amid a deepening internal crisis, former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress national chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Saturday took over as the party's West Bengal state president, hours after Chandrima Bhattacharya resigned from the post following her decision to join the rebel faction led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee.
Shortly after Bhattacharya officially announced her resignation from that post on Saturday afternoon, Mamata Banerjee went live on Facebook, announcing her decision not to appoint anyone to the post of state president and instead to operate from that chair herself.
At the same time, she announced the names of the party legislators, namely Kunal Ghosh and Madan Mitra, who continue to be loyal to her, as the two state general secretaries of Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.
In her Facebook Live message, the former West Bengal Chief Minister also issued an appeal to those legislators and leaders who have united under the "rebel by majority" faction under the leadership of the expelled party legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, to directly join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), instead of continuing to claim themselves as the "real Trinamool Congress".
"I know you are doing all these things to grab the party name, election symbol and the party funds. I know that ultimately you might not be able to get control over the election symbol. But even if you are successful in doing that, courtesy of the Election Commission of India, I will not be bothered.
A is what the common people and the grassroots workers accept. When I first got the symbol, I contested the election with it just 1 month and 22 days later. Now, if necessary, I will go out to the people with the symbol hanging around my neck. Will you be able to silence my voice? It will not be that easy. You will have to kill me to silence my voice," Mamata Banerjee said.
Speaking on the occasion, she also gave a message to her followers about the uncertainties surrounding the party's annual Martyrs' Day rally on July 21, with the Kolkata Police already having granted permission to hold the rally at the traditional venue in front of the CESC office at Esplanade in Central Kolkata.
"Be assured that the Martyrs' Day Programme will be conducted as usual this time also. If necessary, I will stand on a rickshaw and organise the rally," Mamata Banerjee said.