kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress would witness intense organisational activity as preparations gathered momentum for its annual July 21 Martyrs' Day rally. Party offices would remain busy, district leaders would coordinate mobilization efforts, and thousands of workers would prepare to converge on Kolkata. This year, however, the atmosphere is markedly different. With the party no longer in power and facing internal turmoil, preparations appear subdued, raising questions over the scale of this year's observance.

Thursday, North Kolkata District Trinamool Congress President and Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh convened a preparatory meeting with party workers at Rammohan Hall. Although unable to attend in person, Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee addressed the gathering over the telephone, delivering a strong message to party workers and supporters. Emphasising her determination to continue the annual tradition, she declared, “Even if only five people turn up, I will go to Dharmatala.”

The past fifteen years, except during the COVID-19 pandemic, the July 21 programme has remained one of the Trinamool Congress's largest political events. This year, however, the party finds itself in an unfamiliar position after losing power. Internal divisions have become increasingly visible, with several Members of Parliament and legislators openly expressing dissent and announcing their departure from the party. Against this backdrop, organising the annual Martyrs' Day rally has become a significant political challenge for the Trinamool Congress.

The meeting, which was organised under the banner "Amra Beiman Noi" (We Are Not Traitors), Mamata Banerjee reaffirmed that the Martyrs' Day programme would continue at Dharmatala, subject to police permission. She said that the Trinamool Congress had observed the event at the same venue every year and intended to do so once again. Stressing her resolve, she remarked that even if only five party workers attended, she would still participate in the rally.

During her telephonic address, Banerjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of persecuting Trinamool Congress workers across the state. She asserted that the Trinamool Congress remained the only political force capable of collectively resisting what she described as BJP's oppression. She also criticised leaders who had left the party after being elected with the support of Trinamool workers. According to Banerjee, many of those who had been voted into office by party supporters were now joining the very political opponents they had previously contested against in order to safeguard their own interests.

Issuing a stern warning to dissenters, she stated, “Those who want to leave are free to go. But those who betrayed the party by rallying behind a leader who originally came from the CPI(M) will not be forgiven.” Her remarks were widely interpreted as a direct attack on leaders who have recently distanced themselves from the Trinamool Congress amid ongoing political realignments.

Kunal Ghosh also launched a sharp attack on the Opposition. He alleged that Speaker Rathindra Basu had deliberately appointed Ritabrata Bandyopadhyay as the Leader of the Opposition with the intention of politically targeting and harassing the Trinamool Congress. Referring to the allegations levelled by Ritabrata against the ruling party, Ghosh challenged him to initiate a defamation suit if he stood by his statements.

The developments come at a politically sensitive time for the Trinamool Congress as it seeks to maintain organisational unity ahead of one of its most significant annual political events. With internal dissent continuing to dominate headlines and several senior leaders having switched allegiance, the July 21 Martyrs' Day rally is expected to be closely watched as a measure of the party's grassroots strength and its ability to mobilise supporters despite mounting political challenges.