Daijiworld Media Network- Kolkata

Kolkata, Aug 13: With the West Bengal Assembly elections expected in April-May next year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, have drawn up a joint action plan to counter the BJP and retain power. Putting to rest speculations about any serious rift, the duo has been meeting frequently to fine-tune strategies, blending Mamata’s mass appeal with Abhishek’s organisational skills.

Mamata will remain the undisputed face of the campaign, dominating banners, hoardings, and publicity material. Abhishek, who supports this approach, believes it mirrors the BJP’s projection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bengal and keeps the leadership image sharp. While Mamata holds sway as a clean, popular leader untouched by corruption cases, Abhishek is being positioned for a larger national role, recently taking charge as the Trinamool’s parliamentary party leader in the Lok Sabha.

The plan involves Mamata spearheading governance-focused programmes such as enhanced benefits under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, Paray Samadhan initiatives, and district rallies, while Abhishek strengthens the party’s parliamentary presence, builds ties with INDIA bloc leaders, and oversees candidate selection through district-level evaluations. The media front is being handled aggressively, with Derek O’Brien in Delhi and Kunal Ghosh in Kolkata, backed by targeted social media campaigns.

Balancing the party’s old and new guard, Mamata has been reaching out to leaders across factions, while Abhishek coordinates surveys and internal reviews. The campaign will feature multiple star speakers alongside Mamata to match the BJP’s heavyweight presence. Central to the Trinamool’s pitch is Bengali identity politics, countering the BJP’s religious slogans with a cultural unity message, while ensuring inclusivity through the involvement of non-Bengali leaders.

The strategy also places strong focus on protecting minority votes and challenging alleged voter list manipulations. Behind the scenes, both leaders are closely monitoring BJP activities, particularly its IT cell operations, determined to mount a united front in one of the state’s fiercest electoral battles.