Prashant Kishor's I-PAC caught in middle after slugfest between Mamata Banerjee-nephew Abhishek

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for a meeting of Trinamool Congress' top leaders on Saturday after a growing rift between her and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.

Abhishek Banerjee had pushed to promote a 'One Man, One Post' policy in the party which was resented by some of the party's older ministers who hold multiple posts within the ruling establishment, according to a report by NDTV.

Caught between the rift is Prashant Kishor's I-PAC, the political consultancy group, which has been working with the Trinamool since the West Bengal elections, with Abhishek Banerjee seen as the main liaison between the party and the political consultants.

Trinamool leader Chandrima Bhattacharya and I-PAC after she alleged that her social media accounts had been "misused" by Prashant Kishor's team - a claim that was promptly challenged.

"A Twitter account in my name was created by I-PAC before the election. Today it posted something about 'one person one post' without my knowledge. I strongly protest against it," Bhattacharya was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The I-PAC countered, "I-PAC doesn't handle any digital properties of @AITCofficial or any of its leaders. Anyone making such claim is either uninformed or is blatantly lying. AITC should look into if and how their digital properties and/or that of their leaders are being 'allegedly (mis)used'."

The ruling party in West Bengal Trinamool Congress (TMC) is moving ahead to sever its ties with Prashant Kishor's Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), a report by Anandabazar Patrika said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself has taken up the matter amid widespread protests across West Bengal over candidates' list for civic polls.

Earlier in December last year, reports of rift between the two emerged, though the TMC dismissed reports of a difference of opinion between the party and I-PAC.

Published on: Saturday, February 12, 2022, 11:09 AM IST