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

Amidst the ongoing internal struggle within the TMC between veteran leaders and the younger faction, West Bengal Chief Minister and party chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday said any decision regarding her successor would be made collectively by the party leadership rather than by her personally.

In an exclusive interview with a Bengali news channel News 18 Bangla, 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.

Asked about her potential successor, Banerjee deflected the question with a counter-query, "Who is your successor?"


She went on to clarify that 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.

On the ongoing debate about prioritising the younger generation or experienced leaders, Banerjee maintained a balanced approach, stating, "Everyone is important. Today's newcomer will be tomorrow's veteran."

While TMC has not officially declared any succession plans, Banerjee's remark comes amidst an ongoing debate over the old guards, considered loyal to Mamata Banerjee, versus the next-generation leaders, considered close to Abhishek Banerjee.

Abhishek Banerjee is TMC's national general secretary and nephew of Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee did not mince words when addressing the role of political consultants, taking an indirect jibe at I-PAC, which has been working as TMC's political consultant since 2019.

"Some strategists make surveys sitting at home and change them later. They can arrange things but not bring voters. It's 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 aren't won by them."