In a striking departure from past displays of party solidarity, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee’s latest demonstration in Kolkata saw a dismal turnout of party lawmakers on Tuesday. The visual of a sparsely attended protest stage highlights a shifting political landscape in West Bengal, just a month after the party lost power in the state to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Banerjee, whose political career has been defined by high-stakes street protests and dharnas both as an opposition leader and a chief minister, launched her latest demonstration at the Y-Channel venue at around 2:00 PM. However, the usual sea of party heavyweights was notably absent.
A Stark Contrast to the Past
Historically, whenever Banerjee called for a sit-in whether protesting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) or rallying around “Bengali pride” TMC MPs and MLAs would rush to flank their leader. Even in the run-up to the recent elections, during the party’s protests against the SIR, the TMC leadership demonstrated a united front.
The current numbers, however, tell a different story. Despite its recent electoral defeat, the TMC still commands a significant legislative presence, holding 78 seats in the state assembly (following two recent expulsions) and 41 seats across both houses of Parliament. Yet, as the protest got underway, only five Members of Parliament and a handful of Member of Legislative Assemblies were present by her side.
