Mamata achieved what even Netaji couldn't, says Kunal Ghosh

Kunal Ghosh, a senior leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), recently emphasized Mamata Banerjee's success in forming a popular political party after her expulsion from the Indian National Congress in 1997. Ghosh compared her achievement to that of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, who, after resigning from Congress in 1939, formed the All India Forward Bloc. While Bose's new party struggled to establish a lasting presence in national politics, Banerjee's TMC has successfully emerged as a major political force in West Bengal. Ghosh noted that forming a popular party after leaving Congress is a rare achievement in Indian politics.

Banerjee’s expulsion from Congress in 1997 came after a prolonged period of internal conflict within the party. She had a strained relationship with the leadership, particularly with then-AICC president Sitaram Kesri. The decision to expel her was made by the West Bengal Congress leadership under Somen Mitra. Despite objections from several leaders, including Pradip Bhattacharya, the expulsion proceeded, with Bhattacharya recalling his attempts to prevent the move. He expressed that the decision weakened the Congress party in West Bengal, a state where it had been a dominant political force for decades.

After her expulsion, Banerjee founded the Trinamool Congress in 1998. The party initially focused on challenging the dominance of the Left Front, which had ruled West Bengal for 34 years. Over the next decade, TMC grew in strength and popularity, culminating in Banerjee's victory in the 2011 West Bengal assembly elections. Her party's success marked the end of the Left Front’s rule and shifted the political landscape in the state. Banerjee went on to serve as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, a position she has held for three consecutive terms. Her leadership and the TMC's rise to power have reshaped the political dynamics of West Bengal, making the party a dominant force in the state. Meanwhile, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury questioned the timing of Ghosh's remarks, suggesting that they may be linked to the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in the state.