Mamata is 'Dhritarashtra', Abhishek's time to grind millstone: Riju

Suspended TMC leader Riju Dutta compared Mamata Banerjee to 'Dhritarashtra', accusing her of blindly favouring nephew Abhishek Banerjee. He alleged Abhishek ruined the party, disrespected senior leaders, and predicted his impending legal downfall.

Suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Riju Dutta on Thursday drew a parallel to the classic epic Mahabharata, accusing TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee of acting like "Dhritarashtra" by blindly favouring her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, to the detriment of the party.

Launching a blistering attack at Abhishek Banerjee, Dutta told ANI, "Yuvraj ka ab chakki peesne ka time aa gaya hai," (The time has come for the 'Yuvraj' to grind the millstone behind bars), signalling a growing expectation that legal challenges will result in severe consequences for the party's second-in-command.

Accusations of Cronyism and Disrespect

Dutta painted a picture of an organisation hollowed out by cronyism. He alleged that Abhishek Banerjee's tenure has been marked by a systematic campaign to sideline seasoned leaders, mistreat dedicated party workers, and create an atmosphere of subservience. "Kalyan Banerjee tried to support Mamata Banerjee for a long time... A person who isn't even capable of becoming a Councillor, Mamata Banerjee, who, channelling 'Dhritarashtra', shut her eyes, sidelined everyone to establish that person in politics. This person, Abhishek Banerjee, for years, disrespected MPs and MLAs, treated spokespersons like me as slaves, and behaved poorly with party workers... He singlehandedly ruined and caused the demise of TMC, a party that Mamata Banerjee built with her sweat and blood," Dutta claimed.

He further accused the leadership of prioritising personal gain, asserting that the party's reputation has been "dragged through the mud" for financial interests. "He pushed Suvendu Adhikari out of the party... He is the one who expelled Tapas Roy and Nisith Pramanik. A single individual has destroyed the party, tarnished its reputation, and dragged its honour through the mud. All for money," Dutta added.

Dutta Dismisses TMC-Congress Merger Rumours

Addressing the rumours surrounding a potential TMC-Congress merger, Dutta argued that such a move is legally and logistically improbable. He pointed to the legal complexities of the Anti-Defection Law, noting that a two-thirds majority of legislators is required for a merger to be recognised--a threshold he claims the current leadership cannot meet given the scale of the ongoing internal rebellion.

He noted, "The TMC cannot merge with the Congress party. I had considered this possibility too. But then I looked at the Election Commission of India's Rule 29A; for a party to merge with another, a two-thirds majority is required. Furthermore, the consent of leaders at every level would be necessary... A merger won't happen simply because Mamata Didi desires it; you don't even have the MPs on board... What would happen to the Trinamool logo and the party funds amounting to some ₹1,200-1,300 crores?.. An alliance between the Trinamool Congress and the Congress in Bengal can happen, but it is only possible if Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi show some benevolence towards Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee." (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)