Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Shares Dais With Prashant Kishor, Scotches Speculation Of Rift

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was also on the stage during the TMC's organisational meeting today at Nazrul Mancha.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee & Poll Strategist Prashant Kishor. (Source: Getty Images)

New Delhi: TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shared the dais with election strategist Prashant Kishor at a party meeting on Tuesday, scotching rumours of a break-up with I-PAC.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was also on the stage during the TMC's organisational meeting at Nazrul Mancha, news agency PTI reported.

The TMC supremo, who announced the formation of a new state committee, was seen interacting with Kishor at the event.

"There were certain reports of brewing differences between I-PAC and TMC. But nothing is static in politics. Situations change with time. It is good that all of us are working together," TMC leader Sudip Bandopadhyay was quoted by PTI in its report.

Infighting broke out in the TMC last month over the candidate list for civic polls, bringing to the fore the alleged strain in the relationship between the TMC and Kishor-led I-PAC. Reports had then said the two might part ways.

Although the I-PAC dismissed the media allegations as "baseless," several top TMC leaders claimed that the I-PAC and Kishor were interfering in the party's internal affairs.

Following its dismal showing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC recruited Kishor and his firm I-PAC to prepare its campaign and poll strategy for the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls.

Following the party's landslide victory in the assembly elections last year, it extended I-PAC's contract till 2026.

At the event, Mamata Banerjee reconstituted the West Bengal state committee, packing it mainly with old-timers loyal to her.

Banerjee reappointed Subrata Bakshi as the party's state president and Partha Chatterjee as the secretary-general. Ministers Firhad Hakim and Aroop Biswas have been appointed as two of the 19 general secretaries of the state unit.

(With PTI Inputs)