Meghalaya 'Coup' Done, A Look At How Mamata Banerjee's TMC Has Been On A Hiring Spree Across India

Within six months of returning to power in Bengal for a third term, Mamata Banerjee's TMC has inducted a flurry of leaders, mostly from Congress, across seven states where it barely had a presence.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is eyeing a greater role in the national stage (File)

New Delhi: "Jai Hindustan, Jai Haryana, Jai Bangla, Jai Goa. Ram Ram". The slogan by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the national capital mirrors the rapid expansion drive her party, Trinamool Congress, has been on ever since it secured a thumping win in the West Bengal Assembly election in May.

Within six months of returning to power in Bengal for a third term, the TMC has inducted a flurry of leaders, mostly from the Congress, across seven states where it barely had a presence. From Goa to Delhi, Mamata Banerjee has criss-crossed India as the TMC eyes a greater role in the national stage at the expense of the Congress.

TMC's induction spree began in August when former Congress leader Sushmita Dev switched sides, dealing a massive blow to the Grand Old Party in Assam. Former Union Minister Babul Supriyo was the next in line. Since then, several leaders and personalities from Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Bihar have joined the TMC.

How TMC's Expansion Drive Has Panned Out So Far

Assam

An influential leader in Assam, Sushmita Dev was the first major acquisition of the TMC in its attempt to expand its national footprint. Once considered close to Rahul Gandhi, Sushmita Dev, who was one of the national spokespersons of Congress and its women's wing chief, joined the TMC in August and was later nominated by the party to the Rajya Sabha. Sushmita is the daughter of party veteran and late seven-term MP Santosh Mohan Dev. Trinamool has given her the task to look after the party's affairs in Tripura too, besides Assam.

Goa

TMC is making inroads in Goa and has inducted influential leaders and personalities like former chief minister Luizinho Faleiro, tennis champion Leander Paes, actor Nafisa Ali and entrepreneur Mrinalini Deshprabhu. Last week, TMC received a shot in the arm after former MLA and Goa Forward Party working president Kiran Kandolkar joined the party along with his wife Kavita Kandolkar and 40 other workers.

During her visit to Panaji in October, Mamata Banerjee harped that "fish and football" were the two things that connect Bengal and Goa while saying "TMC also stands for temple, mosque and church".

Meghalaya

The Congress, perhaps, received its biggest jolt in Meghalaya after 12 of its 17 MLAs in the assembly joined the Trinamool Congress in a silent late night development on Wednesday. Leading the pack of rebels was former chief minister Mukul Sangma, who blamed the Congress's "ineffectiveness" to combat "divisive forces" for the move. The development saw TMC becoming the main Opposition in the state where it was a non-entity so far.

Tripura

While TMC had tried its hand in elections in Tripura in 2018, it never tasted any success. This year, it received a boost after seven senior Congress leaders in Tripura joined the TMC in July. Former minister Prakash Chandra Das, former MLA Subal Bhowmik, AICC member Panna Deb, and Congress minority leader Md Idris Miah are among those who jumped ship. In August, Tripura Youth Congress's former working president Santanu Saha joined the party ahead of the municipal elections. The TMC has ramped up its activities in the state, with several top leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O'Brien making multiple visits and addressing rallies.

Haryana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh

During her recent visit to Delhi, Mamata Banerjee inducted former Congress leaders Kirti Azad and Ashok Tanwar and former JD(U) general secretary Pavan Varma into the TMC fold.

With Ashok Tanwar, who was once considered close to Rahul Gandhi and was also the chief of Congress's Haryana unit, Mamata Banerjee made her plans clear of starting her party unit in Haryana.

Pavan Verma and Kirti Azad, who have been MPs from Bihar, are expected to develop the presence of TMC in the state. Kirti Azad is a three-time Lok Sabha MP from Darbhanga and Pawan Verma was Rajya Sabha MP.

TMC also inducted senior Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders Rajeshpati Tripathi and Lalitpati Tripathi in October. While Rajeshpati Tripathi is a former MLC, Laliteshpati Tripathi is former UP Congress vice-president.