Kolkata: The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal is gradually embarking on its national expansion plans under the stewardship of its new national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Party insiders say that Trinamool will be initially focusing on the North-Eastern states starting from Tripura and would establish a structured dialogue with disgruntled leaders and parties in those states, those who are a part of the ruling dispensation, yet feel left out.
There is a popular saying that in order to reach the destination in time and safely one has to start the journey early. So Trinamool leadership is starting the journey to be a key national player in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from now only. Cheered by the grand success in the recently concluded West Bengal assembly elections, Trinamool leadership are now taking early strides for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The two main brains under whose leadership, Trinamool Congress is trying to implement its national expansion plans include the newly appointed party’s national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee and the popular vote strategist, Prashant Kishore who is popularly known as PK.
Trinamool leadership acknowledges that PK’s strategy worked wonders in the 2021 state assembly elections and they were immensely successful in aiding Trinamool Congress in tiding over the crisis. Despite a record number of state visits by top BJP leaders like Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah and BJP national president, JP Nadda, the saffron camp was unable to make it to the state secretariat of Nabanna.
Instead, PK’s strategic moves like Didike Bolo (Speak to Didi), Banglar Gorbo Mamata (Bengal’s pride is Mamata) and Bangla nijer meyekei chai (Bengal wants its own daughter) increased Trinamool Congress’s popularity among the people of Bengal.
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Now Trinamool wants to apply somewhat similar strategies in its attempt to expand its national network keeping in mind the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The new line of strategy is that instead of depending just on allies in other states the party would try to expand its organizational network there. Trinamool sources said that Abhishek Banerjee and PK have already started preparing the party’s blueprint on this count.
Officially the Trinamool leaders are maintaining total silence on this count. However, a section of Trinamool Congress leaders spoke to ETV Bharat on a strict condition of anonymity. “Earlier, we used to rush just before the polls in going for arrangements with other regional forces. But this time we want to move steadily and firmly and hence we have made an early beginning. So we are now preparing a list of those leaders from the other states, who are popular in their own respective pockets but highly disgruntled over the functioning of the party they are associated with now. Once the lists are finalized we will start interacting with them. Just as we roped in Jaswant Sinha, who was a heavyweight cabinet member of the Atal Behari Vajpayee- led first NDA government between 1999 and 2004, we hope for more such leaders joining us in the coming days,” a senior Trinamool Congress leader said.
Trinamool sources said that the virtual dais of July 21 this year might see the beginning on this count. Though this dais, actor-turned-politician and former Union minister, Shatrughan Sinha might join Trinamool Congress. Similarly, Vaiko allias Vaiyapuri Gopalswamy, the founder and general secretary of Tamil Nadu- based political party Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, might also be present at the virtual dais.
To recall, immediately after taking over as the national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, Abhishek Banerjee said that in 2024 Trinamool strategy will not be restricted just to Bengal but rather it will be broad-based in 543 Lok Sabha constituencies throughout the country.
“Already he has started his groundwork for the forthcoming elections. Mukul Roy and the party’s leader on Rajya Sabha, Derek O'Brien are seconding him in this effort,” a senior Trinamool Congress leader said.
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In the midst of this, Sinha joining Trinamool and Vaiko’s presence in the virtual dais is expected to give Trinamool’s national expansion plans a major push as felt by political observers. Although Vaiko is currently slightly on back foot in Tamil Nadu, any possible adjacent with Trinamool might bring him back to focus again, feel political circles. Similarly, Sinha’s joining will help Trinamool leadership in substantially expanding networking in Hindi- speaking states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Trinamool leaders admitted that PK’s role in this national networking is extremely significant.
