As the TMC grapples with its worst internal crisis, veteran party leader Anubrata Mondal on Friday blamed political consultancy firm I-PAC for the West Bengal assembly poll rout, defended the rebels who have split the party, and suggested his future in the organisation hinged on receiving due "respect".
Hitting out at TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Mondal indirectly blamed him for the party's decline and recalled having questioned his political acumen, saying it was "difficult to accept being lectured by someone far younger and less experienced in politics".
Mondal's remarks are significant as they come at a time when the TMC is battling its gravest internal crisis since its formation in 1998, with simultaneous rebellions in its assembly and parliamentary wings threatening to unravel the organisation built by Mamata Banerjee over nearly three decades.
The former Birbhum strongman, once among Mamata Banerjee's most trusted political lieutenants, accused I-PAC of weakening the party's grassroots structure and alleged that the firm had become synonymous with financial irregularities from the district to the block levels.
"When the party was formed in 1998, there was no I-PAC. There were no experts or strategists. Workers like us built the party. We won elections and came to power without them. Why did we need them later?" Mondal told reporters in Bolpur.
"They collected money from people everywhere. They came to earn money. They know nothing about politics. They are responsible for this debacle," he alleged.
In a particularly striking admission, Mondal said the party had also erred in alienating the Congress, recalling that the TMC had risen to power in alliance with the grand old party.
"We came to power with the Congress. Irritating the Congress was a mistake. But who listens to whom?" he remarked.
The comments come amid growing speculation over the future direction of the TMC following an unprecedented split in both the assembly and Parliament.
Earlier this week, 20 Lok Sabha MPs led by chief whip Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed to have written to Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate bloc supporting the BJP-led NDA.
The parliamentary revolt followed a rebellion in the assembly where a majority of TMC legislators backed expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition, rejecting the party's nominee.
Mondal appeared sympathetic to the dissidents.
"They have not done anything wrong. They have not joined the BJP. They have formed a separate front. If everyone is moving in one direction, people will naturally go there," he said.
His remarks are likely to embarrass the party leadership as they come from a leader long regarded as one of Mamata Banerjee's most loyal organisational generals.
At the same time, Mondal struck an emotional note while speaking about the TMC supremo, suggesting that many rebels continued to retain personal loyalty towards her despite their differences with the present leadership structure.
"I feel very bad for Mamata Banerjee. Seeing her in this situation is painful. Ask any MLA or MP who has rebelled. They will say they still accept Mamata Banerjee as their leader but not Abhishek," he said.
Yet, in the same breath, he hinted at growing disenchantment within the party's old guard.
"Mamata Banerjee has become alone. We all loved her. But I do not know whose influence she came under towards the end," he said.
Mondal also revealed that he had remained largely inactive during the assembly elections, claiming that, unlike in previous campaigns, he was not entrusted with any significant organisational responsibility.
"I asked what my role was. I was told to go only if an MLA called me. Then why should I go out of my way? So, I did not campaign much this time. The BJP worked hard, and that is why it won," he said.
The former Birbhum district president, who has maintained a low profile since returning from jail in the cattle-smuggling case after he was arrested in August 2022, said he had effectively withdrawn from active politics after his release.
"Everyone knows I stopped indulging in politics after coming out of jail. Others enjoyed the benefits. I had no role in this election," he said.
In perhaps his most politically loaded remark, Mondal suggested that his future association with the party would depend on how he is treated.
"If I get respect, I will remain in the party. If I don't, I will remain quiet. I am not thinking of joining another party," he said.
Mondal's remarks come amid senior TMC leaders publicly airing grievances, exposing the fault lines that have emerged after the party's electoral setback and the subsequent rebellions in the assembly and Parliament. PTI PNT ACD
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