Party will decide, not me: Mamata Banerjee on her successor

Amidst the ongoing internal struggle within the Trinamool Congress between veteran leaders and the Young Turks West Bengal Chief Minister and party chief Mamata Banerjee said any decision regarding her successor would be made collectively by the party leadership rather than by her personally reported news agency PTIIn an interview with Bengali news channel on Friday Banerjee dismissed notions of individual dominance asserting I am not the party we are the party It is a collective family and decisions will be made collectively reported PTIAsked about her potential successor Banerjee deflected the question with a counterquery to the interviewer Who is your successorShe went on to clarify that the TMC is a disciplined party where no individual will dictate terms The party will decide what is best for the people We have MLAs MPs booth workers this is a joint effort she said reported PTIOn the debate about old versus new in the party Banerjee maintained a balanced approach stating Everyone is important Todays newcomer will be tomorrows veteranWhile TMC has not officially declared any succession plans Banerjees remark comes amidst an ongoing tussle between the old guards considered loyal to Mamata Banerjee and the nextgeneration leaders considered close to Abhishek BanerjeeAbhishek Banerjee is TMCs national general secretary and nephew of Mamata BanerjeeBanerjee did not mince words while addressing the role of political consultants taking an indirect jibe at IPAC which has been working as TMCs political consultant since 2019Some strategists make surveys sitting at home and change them later They can arrange things but not bring voters Its the booth workers who know the villages and people who actually win elections she remarked adding They are like artisans who do their work in exchange for money But elections arent won by them reported PTIWilling to lead INDIA bloc if given opportunity MamataWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed dissatisfaction with the functioning of the opposition INDIA bloc signaling her intent to take charge of the alliance if given an opportunityThe Trinamool Congress TMC supremo said she could manage the dual responsibility of running the opposition front while continuing her role as the chief minister of West BengalI had formed the INDIA bloc now it is up to those leading the front to manage it If they cant run the show what can I do I would just say that everyone needs to be taken along she said in an interview with Bengali news channel on Friday reported PTIAsked why she is not taking the charge of the bloc given her credentials as a strong antiBJP force Banerjee said If given the opportunity I would ensure its smooth functioning reported PTII dont want to go outside West Bengal but I can run it from here she said reported PTIThe INDIA bloc formed to counter the BJP comprises over two dozen opposition parties However internal differences and a lack of coordination have drawn criticism from various quartersHer remarks come days after her party MP Kalyan Banerjee called on the Congress and other INDIA bloc allies to set aside their egos and recognise Mamata Banerjee as the leader of the opposition allianceWith inputs from PTI