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New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) Amid allegations and counter-allegations over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal and other states, Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has emerged as a prominent face in the state’s ruling government against the process.
The MP from Diamond Harbor generally prefers to work out of the limelight. His aunt, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee – who founded the party in 1998, and almost single-handedly led it to national prominence – remains the public face running the party.
Analysts say it is to his call that voters respond even today, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has evolved as the state’s principal opposition.
Meanwhile, Abhishek’s rapid rise in the party ranks and his attention to details of the organization have made him the heir apparent.
“Why shouldn’t he play the role of general?” When a Trinamool Congress official, considered close to young Banerjee, was asked about her current situation, he countered this.
The term gained popularity following the “new versus old” controversy over party leadership, where some members referred to both leaders as “Mamata, our leader; Abhishek, our general”.
The mid-level leader, on condition of anonymity, claimed that Abhishek will be “more active” in the coming days, during the assembly elections to be held in the first half of 2026.
Ever since the Election Commission announced the second phase of the SIR rollout, Abhishek has moved from being seen as the organizational backbone of the party to becoming the leading strategist on an issue that is rife with complexity and emotions.
They have demonstrated aggressive public framing, linking the practice to a larger narrative of disenfranchisement, and have begun rapid operational mobilization to protect “vulnerable voters”.
Abhishek took a broad stance against the exercise in a press conference, although he largely avoids formal interactions with the media.
Later, he directed his party’s booth-level agents to “shadow” booth-level officials of the election body who will go door-to-door for voter verification.
He is also holding personal and virtual meetings with Trinamool Congress leaders in blocks and districts to chalk out the party’s strategy.
Veteran journalist and author Suvashish Maitra considers his move to the proscenium as “a kind of defensive mechanism”.
He points to the vetting process in Bihar, where there were fears of large-scale voter disappearance. But the final number of voters removed from the draft list was 65 lakh.
He said, “A similar situation is now taking place in West Bengal, where some BJP leaders have rhetorically claimed that crores of fake voters will be removed from the voter list.”
“Similarly, some TMC leaders raised war cries, including threats to shed ‘rivers of blood’ if the list was ‘tampered with,'” he said.
The rising temperatures ahead of the much-awaited assembly elections have brought Abhishek to the forefront. As soon as Mamata stepped forward, the nephew also came forward in public showing integration and solidarity.
BJP leaders like Union Minister Shantanu Thakur claimed that around 1.2 crore illegal voters could be removed from the voter rolls of West Bengal during the SIR.
The statement drew a sharp rebuke from the Trinamool Congress, with party leader Rajib Banerjee saying “there will be bloodshed” if voters’ names were removed during the process.
After this both sides have stopped making statements.
The political rise of the young Banerjee within the Trinamool Congress has been visible in the party corridors for a long time; The electoral process has brought him to the public stage, demonstrated his influence and reshaped the party’s organizational position in West Bengal.
Similar to a wrestler slapping his thighs to challenge an opponent to step forward while boosting his own confidence, Maitra believes each leader is trying to create a narrative to intimidate the other.
–IANS
JB/PGH